A 20 ft container holds 11 Euro pallets (1200 × 800 mm) in one layer. A 40 ft container and a 40 ft high cube each hold 25. Stack the pallets two high and the counts double, as long as the loaded pallet is low enough for two to fit under the roof.
This page gives the full table for Euro pallets, ISO pallets (1200 × 1000 mm) and US pallets (1219 × 1016 mm, 48 × 40 in), and explains why the numbers are lower than floor area divided by pallet area. Last updated 6 October 2026.
How many Euro pallets fit in a 20 ft container?
Eleven Euro pallets fit on the floor of a 20 ft container. Double stacked at 1,100 mm loaded height, 22 fit. At 1,300 mm loaded height only one layer fits, so the count stays at 11.
A 20 ft container is 5,898 mm long and 2,352 mm wide inside, with 2,393 mm of height. The rear door opening is 2,340 mm wide and 2,280 mm high.
How many Euro pallets fit in a 40 ft container?
Twenty-five Euro pallets fit on the floor of a 40 ft container. Double stacked at 1,100 mm, 50 fit. A 40 ft container is 12,032 mm long and has the same 2,352 mm inside width and 2,393 mm inside height as a 20 ft container.
How many pallets fit in a 40 ft high cube?
The floor of a 40 ft high cube is the same as a 40 ft container, so single-layer counts are identical: 25 Euro pallets. The difference is height. A high cube is 2,698 mm high inside, so two pallets of 1,300 mm loaded height fit on top of each other (2,600 mm). In a standard 40 ft container they do not (2,393 mm).
Pallet capacity table
| Pallet | Layers and loaded height | 20 ft | 40 ft | 40 ft high cube |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Euro 1200 × 800 | Single layer, 1,400 mm | 11 | 25 | 25 |
| Euro 1200 × 800 | Double stacked, 1,100 mm | 22 | 50 | 50 |
| Euro 1200 × 800 | Double stacked, 1,300 mm | 11 | 25 | 50 |
| ISO 1200 × 1000 | Single layer, 1,400 mm | 9 | 22 | 22 |
| ISO 1200 × 1000 | Double stacked, 1,100 mm | 18 | 44 | 44 |
| ISO 1200 × 1000 | Double stacked, 1,300 mm | 9 | 22 | 44 |
| US 1219 × 1016 | Single layer, 1,400 mm | 9 | 20 | 20 |
| US 1219 × 1016 | Double stacked, 1,100 mm | 18 | 40 | 40 |
| US 1219 × 1016 | Double stacked, 1,300 mm | 9 | 20 | 40 |
The loaded height includes the pallet itself. An EPAL Euro pallet is 144 mm high on its own (page read 6 October 2026).
How were these numbers calculated?
We ran each case through the same engine that runs Calculate in Cargo Marshal, using the built-in 20 ft, 40 ft and 40 ft high cube Equipment Types. The engine was offered 200 identical pallets and a single container, and we counted how many it placed.
The assumptions are these:
- Each pallet weighs 400 kg. At that weight payload is never the limit, because 50 pallets weigh 20 t and the 40 ft high cube carries 26.58 t.
- Pallets may turn 90 degrees on the floor but never onto their side.
- In the stacked rows, a pallet may carry one more pallet of the same size. Nothing is stacked three high.
- Built-in container values are 5,898 × 2,352 × 2,393 mm for 20 ft, 12,032 × 2,352 × 2,393 mm for 40 ft and 12,032 × 2,352 × 2,698 mm for 40 ft high cube. Real containers vary by a few millimetres between manufacturers.
- The floor counts match a separate search over straight-cut layouts that we ran as a cross-check. Both found 11 and 25 Euro pallets, 9 and 22 ISO pallets, and 9 and 20 US pallets.
To test your own pallet size, height and weight, open the container loading calculator. The full dimensions and capacities are on the pages for the 20 ft, 40 ft and 40 ft high cube containers. To see a finished plan with the loading checklist, open the sample load plan.
Each pallet and container pair also has its own page with a floor plan and what limits the load:
- Euro pallets in a 20 ft, 40 ft or 40 ft high cube container
- Industrial (ISO) pallets in a 20 ft, 40 ft or 40 ft high cube container
- GMA (US) pallets in a 20 ft, 40 ft or 40 ft high cube container, and in a 53 ft dry van trailer
Why is the pallet count lower than floor area divided by pallet area?
Dividing 5,898 × 2,352 mm by 1,200 × 800 mm gives 14 pallets for a 20 ft container, but only 11 fit. The loss comes from the width. At 2,352 mm, two pallets turned lengthwise need 2,400 mm and three pallets turned crosswise need 2,400 mm too. Neither row closes by 48 mm.
Mixing the two orientations (1,200 + 800 = 2,000 mm) leaves a 352 mm strip that no Euro pallet can use. The 11 pallets cover 10.56 m² of the 13.87 m² floor, or 76 percent. Area division counts the unusable strips as usable space.
The same effect explains the other gaps in the table: 29 versus 25 Euro pallets in a 40 ft container, 11 versus 9 ISO pallets in a 20 ft container, and 22 versus 20 US pallets in a 40 ft container.
Does the door limit how many pallets fit?
The door limits how tall a pallet can be, not how many fit on the floor. A pallet must pass through the door opening to be loaded. In a 40 ft container the opening is 2,280 mm high. A Euro pallet loaded to 2,300 mm fits inside the box (2,393 mm) but cannot be loaded, so the engine reports it as door blocked. In a high cube the opening is 2,585 mm, and the same pallet loads without a problem.
Check the door height whenever you plan tall pallets, not just the inside height of the container.
What stops you from reaching these numbers in practice?
Four things usually do.
- Weight. A full double-stacked 40 ft high cube of 50 pallets reaches the 26.58 t payload at about 530 kg per pallet. Above that, weight is the limit instead of space.
- Stacking rules. Many pallets cannot carry a second pallet. Fragile goods, shrink-wrapped products and pallets with overhang need a single layer.
- Pallet overhang and damage. Pallets that are wider than 1,200 × 800 mm or have overhanging cartons take more floor space than their nominal size.
- Mixed cargo. These counts assume identical pallets. A real shipment with different pallet sizes and heights rarely reaches the same density.
A shipment with several pallet types needs a real load plan. See what one looks like, or check plans and prices.
FAQ
How many pallets fit in a 20 ft container?
Eleven Euro pallets or nine ISO or US pallets fit in a single layer. Double stacked, that becomes 22 Euro pallets or 18 ISO or US pallets, provided each loaded pallet is 1,196 mm high or lower so that two fit inside the 2,393 mm interior.
How many pallets fit in a 40 ft container?
Twenty-five Euro pallets, 22 ISO pallets or 20 US pallets fit in a single layer. Double stacked at 1,100 mm loaded height, that is 50, 44 or 40 pallets.
How many pallets fit in a 40 ft high cube?
The single-layer counts equal those of a 40 ft container. The extra 305 mm of height lets you double stack pallets up to about 1,349 mm loaded height, which gives 50 Euro pallets at 1,300 mm.
Is a 40 ft container twice a 20 ft container?
Almost. A 40 ft container is 12,032 mm long against 5,898 mm for a 20 ft container, which is slightly more than double. For Euro pallets that gives 25 against 11, because a longer floor wastes less at the ends.
Can I load more Euro pallets by turning them?
Turning pallets is what the 25 and 11 counts already include. The engine chooses between lengthwise and crosswise rows for each part of the floor.
Does weight limit the number of pallets?
It can. A 20 ft container carries 28.18 t, a 40 ft container 26.73 t and a 40 ft high cube 26.58 t. In a 40 ft high cube, pallets of 800 kg reach the limit at 33 pallets, before the 50 positions are full.