Container load calculator
For importers and distributors. See how many lithium batteries fit in a 20 ft or 40 ft container, what the load weighs and how much energy it carries.
Your shipment
Choose the battery and the container. Enter your packed carton size for a realistic count.
Battery
One model per calculation.
Carton
Outside size and gross weight of one packed unit.
Container
Standard dry containers.
Stacking and order
Both optional. The stacking limit depends on the packaging.
Adjust the container size
Inside dimensions and payload for the container. They vary a little by builder and shipping line, and road weight limits at either end can be lower than the container's own payload.
One layer, seen from above
Front wallDoors
The three containers compared
| Container | Units | Weight | Energy |
|---|
How the load is worked out
Four steps, from one carton to a full container.
- Fit one layer on the floor Cartons stay upright. We try them all one way, all turned a quarter turn, and one group each way, and keep the arrangement that fits the most.
- Stack the layers The container's inside height divided by the carton height, or your stacking limit if that is lower.
- Check the weight The container's payload divided by the carton weight. The load is whichever is smaller, the number that fits or the number the payload allows.
- Add it up Total weight, the energy stored in the load, and the number of containers for your order.
Lithium batteries ship as dangerous goodsLithium-ion batteries are Class 9 dangerous goods under UN 3480. Sea freight follows the IMDG Code, which sets the packing, marking and paperwork. Your freight forwarder will confirm what applies on your route.
Common questions
How many 51.2V 100Ah batteries fit in a 20 ft container?
By the battery's own dimensions, up to 432: nine layers of 48. That load weighs about 19.4 tonnes and stores 2.21 MWh. Packed cartons are larger and the packaging limits how high they can be stacked, so a real load is smaller. Enter your packed carton size above.
Does it allow for pallets?
It assumes cartons loaded straight onto the floor. To plan a palletised load, enter one loaded pallet's length, width, height and weight in place of the carton, and read the result as pallets.
Why is my load limited by weight?
A container has a maximum payload as well as a volume. Heavy cargo reaches the payload before the space is full. Road limits at the origin or destination can be lower still, so check them with your forwarder.
What do you need from me for an export quote?
The products and quantities, the destination country and port, and the delivery terms you prefer. The export quote request collects all of it in one form.