LOADWISE PLANNING GUIDE

Container Loading Calculator

A container loading calculator estimates how packaged cargo fits inside a selected container. Enter each cargo type’s dimensions, quantity and weight, choose stacking rules, and review both loaded and leftover pieces in the 3D plan.

Open the free 3D load planner →

Choose a container, not just a volume

Loadwise includes 20 ft standard, 40 ft standard and 40 ft high-cube presets. CBM is useful for comparing volume, but a volume total alone cannot show whether long, wide or tall pieces fit through the door or can be arranged on the floor.

Example: interior dimensions versus door opening

Hapag-Lloyd’s published 40 ft standard fleet example has an interior of 12,032 × 2,352 × 2,395 mm and a door opening of 2,340 × 2,292 mm. The carrier explicitly notes that equipment varies by manufacturer. A piece may fit the interior height but exceed the door height.

Source: Hapag-Lloyd 40 ft standard container specifications. Loadwise’s standard-container presets use these fleet examples; verify the assigned unit and its rated payload before loading.

Worked example: 10 identical crates

Ten crates measuring 120 × 100 × 110 cm each have a combined volume of 13.200 m³. At 320 kg per piece, the cargo weighs 3,200 kg. Enter the packaged dimensions and quantities, then compare container options in the planner. Whether all ten fit also depends on floor layout, door fit, clearance and stackability.

Single stack or double stack?

Single stack keeps the cargo on the floor with nothing above it. Double stack allows at most two layers when the placement and strength rules permit it. A high-cube container adds vertical space, but does not make cargo stackable or increase the permitted payload automatically.

How to compare options

Select Container and enter the cargo list.
Use the optional Find equipment that fits panel.
Review fitting options ordered by the preset’s space volume.
Inspect the 3D layout, loaded quantities and any remaining pieces.

The smallest fitting preset is not a freight quotation or a guarantee of the lowest transport cost.

What the calculation does not establish

The door-fit check is a basic upright size check. Turning and handling paths, forklift access, concentrated floor loads, real-world dunnage, inland transport limits and an engineered securing plan still require review. Flatbed, out-of-gauge and hazardous-goods movements need their own carrier assessment.