Export Pallet Calculator
Export loading swaps the arithmetic: the pallet that rules US warehouses (48×40 inches) is not the pallet that rules European logistics (800×1200 mm), and container dimensions — not trailer heights — set the stacking math. The two pallet standards also fail differently in containers: US pallets fit 10 per 20-foot container and 20–21 per 40-foot, while euro pallets, narrower and longer, fit 11 and 24–25 respectively.
The calculator runs either deck — enter 47 × 31 inches for a euro pallet — and the sections underneath cover the container-fit table, the ISPM-15 stamp that keeps wooden packaging across borders, and the load-planning choices that decide between cube and labor.
GMA standard is 48 × 40.
Excludes the ~6 in pallet deck.
Wood GMA pallets are commonly rated ~2,500.
Boxes per pallet
16
TI 4 × HI 4 — 4 boxes per layer, 4 layers high.
- Per layer
- 4 (4 straight / 3 rotated)
- Layers
- 4
- Deck utilization
- 53%
- Pallets for 400 boxes
- 25
The tool quotes the better of the two uniform orientations.
At a 46 in load-height limit. 48 in is the working number for double-stacking in a standard trailer.
The count assumes uniform orientation per layer and no overhang — a mixed-rotation pattern occasionally squeezes in one more box, but it also breaks the stack. Add the pallet's own height (typically 5–6 in) before quoting total height to a carrier or a rack.
Starting values are set for a typical export scenario — change any field to match yours. Need the plain version? Pallet Calculator.
Euro vs US pallets change the container math
| Pallet | Dimensions | 20 ft container | 40 ft container |
|---|---|---|---|
| US GMA | 48 × 40 in (1219 × 1016 mm) | 10 | 20–21 |
| EUR/EPAL | 800 × 1200 mm (31.5 × 47.2 in) | 11 | 24–25 |
| Industrial 48 × 48 | 48 × 48 in | 8 | 16–18 |
ISPM-15: the stamp that keeps freight moving
Wood packaging material moving across borders must comply with ISPM-15 — heat-treated (HT) or fumigated, and stamped with the certification mark. The rule covers pallets, crates, skids and dunnage alike, and it is enforced at destination ports, not at loading.
- Verify the HT stamp on every wooden pallet and crate before packing — an unstamped unit is treated as non-compliant wood, whatever its actual treatment.
- Non-compliant wood packaging at destination means treatment, destruction or re-export at the importer's cost, with the container held until it is resolved.
- Plastic and engineered-wood pallets (plywood, OSB) are exempt from ISPM-15 — a common substitution for high-risk lanes.
- Buy pallets from a certified supplier and keep the paperwork with the shipping file; the stamp is the proof, but the invoice closes audits.
The loading plan: pallets, cube and labor
- Palletized loads turn in hours; floor-loaded loads gain 10–20% cube but cost a day of labor at each end. High-value dense goods often floor-load; mixed cartons palletize.
- For containers, height is the binding constraint on double-stacking: keep each unit at or under ~52 inches including the pallet in a high-cube, or ship single-stacked and accept the count from the table above.
- Distribute weight across the container floor — heavy pallets over the axle line, none clustered at one end — and brace the last gap with dunnage bags.
- Reefer and open-top equipment change both the height and the fit counts; run the calculator against the actual equipment's interior dimensions, not the nominal type.
- The calculator's euro-pallet presets (47 × 31 inches with a 46-inch load) exist for this lane: 400 cartons of 16×12×10 build 25 pallets — one 40-foot container, single-stacked, with a pallet to spare.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the difference between a euro pallet and a US pallet?
- Size and standard. The euro (EPAL) pallet is 800 × 1200 mm — about 31.5 × 47.2 inches — and is the standard across European logistics; the US GMA pallet is 48 × 40 inches. The euro's narrower profile fits more per container (11 vs 10 in a 20-foot; 24–25 vs 20–21 in a 40-foot), which is why lane and destination, not preference, should pick the pallet.
- How many pallets fit in a 20 or 40 foot container?
- Single-stacked: 10 US pallets or 11 euro pallets in a 20-foot; 20–21 US or 24–25 euro in a 40-foot. Double-stacking roughly doubles the count where the loaded height permits — in a high-cube container each stacked unit must stay at or under about 52 inches including its pallet.
- Can I double-stack pallets in a shipping container?
- Yes, if the geometry allows. A high-cube container has about 105 inches of interior height, so two stacked units including pallets must total under that — roughly 52 inches each. Shorter loads double-stack cleanly; 54-inch trailer-height loads do not. The calculator's height input is where you enforce this before the load plan is printed.
- What is ISPM-15 and does it apply to my shipment?
- It is the international standard requiring wood packaging material — pallets, crates, dunnage — to be heat-treated or fumigated and stamped, when it moves across borders. If any wood packaging travels with your international shipment, the rule applies. Plastic and engineered-wood pallets are exempt.
- Should I palletize or floor-load my container?
- Trade cube for labor. Floor-loading gains roughly 10–20% more cartons in the same container but costs significant labor at both ends and slows destination handling. Palletized loads turn fast and integrate with the destination's equipment. Dense, uniform cartons are the usual floor-load case; mixed or fragile loads stay on pallets.
- Do container weight limits matter before cube?
- Yes — payload caps bind on dense cargo long before the container is full. Weight also must distribute across the floor, with heavy pallets near the axle line rather than clustered at one end. Plan heavy shipments by weight per pallet first, then fit the remaining cube with lighter freight.