How many euro pallets fit in a 40ft container?
A 40ft standard container holds 25 euro pallets floor-loaded (120×80 cm, one tier). If the pallets are stackable, the number multiplies with the usable height and the permitted weight.
In short
The internal length of a 40ft standard container is about 1203 cm, the internal width about 235 cm. A euro pallet measures 120×80 cm. Combining both orientations (lengthwise and crosswise) gives 25 floor positions in one tier.
How the 25 are placed — calculated, not copied
The best pattern mixes both orientations: 15 pallets crosswise along one wall, 10 lengthwise along the other — using 1200 of the 1203 cm internal length. Without turning it would only be 20. This is the layout from above:
Stacked: two tiers with low cargo
If each pallet including goods stays below about 115 cm, two tiers fit: 50 euro pallets in a 40ft container. Here weight deserves a look: 50 pallets at 500 kg are already 25 t — close to the roughly 26.6 t payload of a 40ft container, and on the road leg the road weight limit often bites first.
Floor positions per orientation
In practice both orientations are combined to use the loading space fully:
| Container | Internal length | Internal width | Euro pallets (1 tier) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 40′ Standard | 1203 cm | 235 cm | 25 |
| 40′ High Cube | 1203 cm | 235 cm | 25 |
The button opens the calculator with a matching example load — freely adjustable there.