20ft standard container
A 20-foot general-purpose container is the small ISO dry box: about 5.90 × 2.35 × 2.39 m inside, roughly 33.2 CBM, payload near 28,180 kg. It is the default for dense cargo that would waste a 40ft on weight. Typical pallet counts are 8–10 GMA or 11 Euro. Internals vary — planning figures, not a CSC plate.
How many of your cartons fit?
Carton count
Floor-packed and stacked to the ceiling, upright, no weight cap. Full payload logic lives on the container loading calculator.
Use a 20ft when cargo is heavy relative to cube (steel, liquids, bagged product). Light bulky freight usually wants a 40ft or 40HC instead — the payload cap is in the same neighborhood and the extra floor is cheap compared with a second lift.
Interior dimensions used
| L × W × H | Inches | Rated cube |
|---|---|---|
| 5.9 × 2.35 × 2.39 m | 232.3 × 92.5 × 94.1 in | 33.2 CBM |
Dimensions vary by manufacturer and build year. Practical loading efficiency is typically 80–90% of rated CBM.
Formula
- Per layer = integer pack of carton footprint on 5.9 × 2.35 m.
- Layers = floor(2.39 m / carton height).
- Cartons = per layer × layers (no payload cap on this mini tool).
Questions
How many CBM is a 20ft standard?
Rated capacity is about 33.2 CBM from typical internals of 5.9 × 2.35 × 2.39 m (232.3 × 92.5 × 94.1 in). Plan 80–90% in real stuffing.
Are these CSC-plate numbers?
No. They are published typicals. The plate on the box you receive is the authority for tare, payload and, in practice, the interior you pack.