Palletly

Pallets Per Container Calculator

A 20ft container takes 8 to 11 Euro pallets or 8 to 9 GMA pallets on the floor, and a 40ft takes 20 to 25 Euro or 18 to 20 GMA. Pick any container and pallet standard for the count, floor utilisation and tier count.

Total pallets loaded
20
20
Per floor layer
1
Tiers high
85%
Floor used
41%
Volume used
40 ft Standard Dry: 1,203 × 235 × 239 cm interior
Load diagram
Floor plan, 20 per layer1 tier(s) high
boxes / itemsSingle-orientation packing, real pinwheel patterns may fit a few more.

By pallet type

20ft Container

40ft Container

40ft High Cube

53ft Trailer

How the pallets-per-container calculator works

This tool answers one question: how many pallet footprints land on the floor of a given container, and how many tiers stack on top. It ignores carton geometry and works purely from the pallet footprint against the container floor:

per floor = max(floor(L÷l) × floor(W÷w), floor(L÷w) × floor(W÷l))

It then multiplies by floor(H÷h) for the tier count and reports floor utilisation as packed footprint area ÷ interior floor area.

Worked example, 40ft container, 1200×1000 pallet

The default is a 40ft dry interior of 12032 × 2352 × 2393 mm and a 1200 × 1000 mm industrial (EUR 2) pallet loaded to 115 cm.

  • 1200 mm along the length: floor(12032÷1200) = 10 × floor(2352÷1000) = 2 = 20 pallets.
  • 1000 mm along the length: floor(12032÷1000) = 12 × floor(2352÷1200) = 1 = 12 pallets.
  • The tool keeps the better figure: 20 pallets on the floor.

Floor utilisation = 20 × (1.2 × 1.0 = 1.2 m²) ÷ (12.032 × 2.352 = 28.30 m²) = 84.8%. Height allows floor(2393÷1150) = 2 tiers if the cargo is stackable, taking the geometric maximum to 40.

Pallets on the floor by standard

Based on the same interiors, single-orientation floor counts:

PalletFootprint (mm)20ft floor40ft floor
GMA 48×401219 × 1016818
Euro / EPAL 11200 × 800820
Industrial / EUR 21200 × 1000820
ISO / Asian1100 × 11001020

Real stowage often pinwheels Euro and GMA pallets to gain a unit, which a single-orientation estimate does not model. For a packed 3D view and box-level loading, use the container load calculator; for a 20ft-specific breakdown see pallets in a 20ft container, and for road moves the truck load calculator.

Frequently asked questions

How many pallets fit in a 40ft container?
On a single floor: about 20 industrial (1200×1000) or ISO pallets, 18 GMA pallets, and 20 Euro pallets, depending on orientation. Double-stacking can roughly double these where the cargo can bear a second pallet.
Why does the Euro pallet fit more than the GMA pallet?
The Euro footprint is 1200×800 mm, narrower than the GMA's 1219×1016 mm, so more of them tile into the 2352 mm container width. The calculator shows the difference instantly when you switch pallet standard.
Does this count tiers or just the floor?
Both. It reports the floor count first, then multiplies by floor(interior height ÷ loaded pallet height) for the geometric tier maximum. Whether you actually stack a second tier depends on cargo crush strength, not geometry.
Is floor utilisation the same as space used?
No. Floor utilisation is the 2D footprint coverage of the floor. It ignores the air gap above a single tier, so a half-height load can show high floor utilisation while leaving most of the cubic volume empty.

Related calculators

Container Load Calculator
A 40ft container takes 20 to 25 Euro pallets floor loaded or 18 to 20 GMA pallets, and a 20ft takes 8 to 11 Euro or 8 to 9 GMA. Fit pallets or boxes into any container, with floor utilisation, tier count and a 3D load view.
Pallets in a 20ft Container
A 20ft container takes 8 to 11 Euro pallets floor loaded, 8 to 9 GMA pallets, or 10 ISO 1100 x 1100 pallets, in a single tier. Pick the pallet standard for the floor count and floor-area utilisation.
Pallets in a 40ft Container
A 40ft container takes 20 to 25 Euro pallets floor loaded, 18 to 20 GMA pallets, or 20 ISO 1100 x 1100 pallets, in a single tier. Pick the pallet standard for the floor count and floor-area utilisation.
Truck Load Calculator
A 53ft dry van takes 26 GMA pallets loaded straight or 30 turned, or 40 Euro pallets, on the floor in one tier. Fit pallets or boxes into a trailer, box truck or van, with floor utilisation and a 3D load view.