A single number is the wrong answer.
A 20-foot container takes 11 EUR pallets in a single layer — but only if the pallets are interlocked. In a simple layout the same container takes 9; the difference is 22%. And the answer changes with the container's internal width: in a 40' HC, 25 pallets at 2,352 mm and 30 at 2,432 mm. That is why "how many pallets fit" has no single correct number.
Single-layer capacity
The figures below are calculated, not quoted. Container internal dimensions come from the equipment specification published by Hapag-Lloyd, pallet dimensions from EPAL's own publication; the layout was derived with a packing calculation that tries both orientations.
| Container | Internal floor | EUR 1200×800 | Industrial 1200×1000 | Floor area |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20' GP | 5,900 × 2,352 | 11 | 9 | 13.9 m² |
| 40' GP | 12,032 × 2,352 | 25 | 22 | 28.3 m² |
| 40' HC | 12,032 × 2,352 | 25 | 22 | 28.3 m² |
| 45' HC | 13,556 × 2,352 | 27 | 24 | 31.9 m² |
There is no difference in pallet count between a 40' HC and a 40' GP — the floor dimensions are the same, the HC is only taller. The HC's advantage appears not in a single layer but in double stacking.
The layout pattern is worth two pallets
The internal width of a 20-foot container is 2,352 mm. You cannot place two pallets side by side on their 1,200 mm sides — that makes 2,400 mm and does not fit. This single constraint is what decides the layout.
In a simple layout all pallets face the same way: two rows 800 mm wide, four rows 1,200 mm long = 8 pallets, plus 1 more in the space left at the end = 9 pallets. A 752 mm strip stays empty along the side.
In an interlocked layout pallets alternate between lengthwise and crosswise; the empty strip is distributed and 11 pallets fit. The difference is two pallets per container — 22%.
Series difference: 25 or 30
The series variation described on the container dimensions page changes the pallet count directly. Hapag-Lloyd's own document publishes more than one internal width for the 40' HC:
| Internal width | EUR 1200×800 | Industrial 1200×1000 | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2,342 mm | 25 | 22 | Three pallets side by side (3 × 800 = 2,400) do not fit |
| 2,352 mm | 25 | 22 | Same — 48 mm short |
| 2,432 mm | 30 | 24 | Three pallets side by side fit (2,400 ≤ 2,432) |
80 millimetres mean five pallets per container. So if your loading plan depends on a narrow margin, have the actual internal width of the allocated container confirmed. If the plan is built for 30 and a 2,352 mm container arrives, five pallets are left on the quay.
When double stacking is possible
Double stacking depends on two conditions at once: the height budget and the load capacity of the bottom pallet.
An EPAL pallet is 144 mm high and weighs about 25 kg. A pallet loaded to one metre comes to 1,144 mm in total:
- 20' GP · internal height 2,393 mm
- Two layers fit, 105 mm to spare
- 40' GP · internal height 2,395 mm
- Two layers fit, 107 mm to spare
- 40' HC · internal height 2,700 mm
- Two layers fit, 412 mm to spare — this is where the HC's advantage lies
- 40' HC reefer · maximum stack 2,425 mm
- Two layers fit but only 137 mm to spare; the air-flow line must not be exceeded
Even where the height works, the second condition is binding: the safe working load of an EPAL pallet is 1,500 kg, and the maximum load the bottom pallet can carry in a stack is 5,500 kg. The packaging itself must also bear the weight of the pallet above — carton crush is a constraint independent of the pallet's load capacity.
If you are considering double stacking, check the weight first. 11 pallets in a 20-foot box become 22 double-stacked; at 1,000 kg per pallet that is 22,000 kg, under the container's 30,200 kg payload. So with light cargo height runs out first, with heavy cargo weight does. Which fills first can be read from the density threshold.
Give the plan to the floor with the pattern drawn. "11 pallets" is not enough; if the plan is sent without showing which pallet goes lengthwise and which crosswise, the loading crew uses the simple layout and two pallets are left out.
What the calculation loses
The figures above are theoretical maxima and assume a perfect layout. In real loading the following take their share:
- Door opening. In 20' and 40' boxes the door width is 2,340 mm, 12 mm narrower than the internal width. The pallets nearest the door need manoeuvring room.
- Packaging overhang. The pallet may be 1,200 × 800, but cartons overhanging the edge are common. A few centimetres of overhang breaks the interlocked layout.
- Securing and dunnage. To stop the cargo shifting, dunnage, airbags or straps go into the gaps; they take up space too.
- Floor height and gooseneck tunnel. 40-foot containers have a tunnel for the chassis; the floor sits 170 mm above ground level.
The practical approach: take the theoretical figure as an upper limit, build the plan one pallet short, and do not rely on a narrow margin.
When it goes wrong
The plan says 11 pallets, 9 are loaded
The loading crew is told only the pallet count, not the layout pattern. They line the pallets up facing the same way, a 752 mm strip stays empty along the side and two pallets are left out — usually meaning a second shipment.
Do this: send the loading plan together with the pattern drawing.
The packaging overhangs the pallet
Cartons stick out a few centimetres beyond the pallet edge. An interlocked layout has no tolerance; the overhang breaks the pattern and capacity drops.
Do this: calculate with the outer dimensions of the loaded pallet, not the pallet's own size.
Double stacking planned, the bottom pallet is crushed
The height works, but the packaging cannot carry the weight of the pallet above. The bottom layer arrives damaged; the insurer opens an argument over inadequate packaging.
Do this: check the pallet's safe working load (1,500 kg) and the packaging's stacking strength separately.
The plan was made for 2,432 mm, a 2,352 mm box arrived
A 40' HC plan built for 30 pallets takes 25 in the narrow series. Five pallets are left out.
Frequently asked
How many Euro pallets fit in a 20-foot container?
11 in a single layer — if the pallets are interlocked. In a simple layout it is 9.
If double stacking is possible it rises to 22; but that depends on the cargo height, the packaging's stacking strength and the total weight staying under the container's payload.
Do a 40' and a 40' HC take the same number of pallets?
In a single layer, yes — the floor dimensions are the same (12,032 × 2,352 mm) and both take 25 EUR pallets.
The HC's difference is height: with an internal height of 2,700 mm, 412 mm is left to spare when double stacking, against 107 mm in a standard 40'. For tall loaded pallets that difference is what makes double stacking possible.
What is the difference between a Euro pallet and an industrial pallet?
A EUR (EPAL) pallet is 1,200 × 800 mm, an industrial pallet 1,200 × 1,000 mm. Because the industrial pallet is wider, fewer fit in a container — 9 instead of 11 in a 20-foot box.
In return, the wider base can be an advantage with overhanging packaging and heavy cargo. The choice depends on the dimensions of the cargo, not on capacity alone.
Is the pallet weight included in the freight?
The pallet's own weight is part of the gross weight and counts towards the container's payload. An EPAL pallet weighs about 25 kg; for 22 pallets that is 550 kg.
The pallet weight is also included in the verified gross mass (VGM) declaration — do not forget it in the calculation.
Is a special document needed for wooden pallets?
For international shipments, wood packaging material must be treated and marked under ISPM 15. EPAL states that its pallets are heat-treated to that standard.
Unmarked or non-compliant wood packaging can be refused in the destination country; check the pallets' stamp before shipment.
Sources
- EPAL — Euro pallet technical specification Dimensions 1,200 × 800 × 144 mm, own weight about 25 kg, safe working load 1,500 kg, maximum 5,500 kg on the bottom pallet in a stack; ISPM 15 compliance · epal-pallets.org · accessed 1 Sep 2026
- Hapag-Lloyd — Container Specification Container internal dimensions, door opening, floor height and gooseneck tunnel; more than one internal width published for the 40' HC · hapag-lloyd.com (PDF) · accessed 1 Sep 2026
- IPPC — ISPM 15 wood packaging standard Treatment and marking of wood packaging material in international shipments · ippc.int · accessed 1 Sep 2026
This page is for information only. The pallet counts are calculated from the internal dimensions and pallet dimensions stated above; they assume a perfect layout and packaging with no overhang. Actual capacity depends on the dimensions of the allocated container, the outer dimensions of the loaded pallet, securing requirements and the weight of the cargo. Confirm your loading plan with your carrier before shipment.
Change log
- Page published as the English counterpart of the Turkish page of 1 Sep 2026. Pallet capacities derived by packing calculation from the dimensions published by EPAL and Hapag-Lloyd; the layout drawing was checked for overlaps.