Free online calculator · No signup · UK & Australia
Container Load Planner
Check whether a carton mix is limited by volume or weight in a standard container, and see how packing efficiency changes what you can ship.
Quick answer
Enter carton size, weight and quantity, pick a container, and see how many cartons fit by volume versus weight — plus which constraint bites first.
Carton
Container
Planning figures only — payload and usable cube vary by equipment and route.
Outcome
How many fit
By volume
0
By weight
0
Limiting factor
—
Leftover cartons
0
CBM used: 0 · Weight used: 0 kg
Fill — volume: 0% · weight: 0%
How to use this calculator
- 1 Fill in the labelled inputs for your scenario (costs, sizes, rates or distances).
- 2 Read the live outputs — totals, ratios and recommendations update as you type.
- 3 Stress-test a worse case (lower conversion, higher freight, denser cartons) before you commit budget.
- 4 Share the page URL with your team, then productise the workflow with Samvara when you are ready.
Useful? Share this free calculator with your ops or commercial team.
Frequently asked questions
Why is weight sometimes the limit?
Dense cargo can hit payload before the container is volumetrically full. Always check both volume and weight.
What packing efficiency should I use?
70–85% is a common planning range after voids and dunnage. Perfect 100% fills are rare in real stuffing.
Are 20ft and 40ft payloads the same?
No. Payload and usable cube differ by equipment type and route. Treat the defaults here as planning guides and confirm with your forwarder.
Does this replace a packing list?
No. Use it to choose equipment and sense-check capacity before you finalise packing and booking.