How many IBC totes fit in a container?
A 20ft container holds 9 IBC totes floor-loaded (1,000 l, pallet footprint 120×100 cm), 18 stacked. A 40ft container holds 22 — but there weight is usually the limit, not space.
How the 9 are placed in a 20ft — calculated, not copied
Four double rows sit lengthwise (120 cm each along the length), the ninth IBC turns crosswise at the door end — the 590 × 235 cm internal footprint allows no more. This is the layout from above:
The figures per container
| Container | Floor-loaded | 2 tiers | Weight full (approx. 1,070 kg each) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20′ Standard | 9 | 18 | ≈ 19.3 t (18 units) |
| 40′ Standard / High Cube | 22 | — weight-limited | ≈ 23.5 t (22 units) |
In a 40ft, weight is the limit — not space
A full 1,000 l IBC weighs about 1,070 kg with water-like product (1,000 kg content plus tare). 22 units are 23.5 t — against roughly 26.6 t of payload in a 40ft container. A second tier would fit geometrically but come to over 45 t: weight ends the stacking long before height does. Lighter products shift the limit accordingly.
And on the road?
18 full IBCs in a 20ft are about 19.3 t of cargo — with container tare roughly 21.5 t. In Germany (typically 28 t for container plus cargo) that runs; on a US road leg (about 21 t) it is over the limit. The limits per country are on the container road weight page — and the 3D calculator checks them live under "Details".
Frequently asked questions
Can full IBC totes be stacked?
Only with approval: the stacking load on the type plate and the UN approval for the product decide — not the container height. Without approval it stays one tier.
Why 9 and not 10 in a 20ft?
After four double rows of 120 cm, 110 cm of length remain. Turned crosswise an IBC needs 100 cm of length but 120 cm of width — exactly one of those fits into the 235 cm internal width.
Does this also hold for 640 l or 800 l IBCs?
The floor positions yes, as long as the pallet footprint stays 120×100 cm — smaller IBCs are just lower and lighter. Other footprints the 3D calculator computes with the real dimensions.
The button opens the calculator with a matching example load — freely adjustable there.