How to Load a 20 ft or 40 ft Container with Barrels, Boxes and Appliances

Container sizes and how much they hold

Most consolidators use 20 ft and 40 ft containers. A 40 ft high-cube container is the same width as a standard 40 ft, but taller, which gives extra room for stacking.

Weight limits: do not overload

There are several limits, and the lowest one is the one that counts: the container's maximum payload, the weight limit for trucking on the roads you use, and the limits at the port. The legal road weight for a loaded container truck is often lower than the container's own payload, so a container that looks fine can be too heavy to move.

• Ask your trucker and your NVOCC for the maximum cargo weight they will accept.
• Set and enforce a maximum weight per barrel with customers, and weigh suspicious ones.
• Dense cargo such as tools, tiles, canned food or batteries can make a half-full container too heavy. Spread heavy items out.
• Overweight containers can be refused, fined or delayed. They are also dangerous.

Plan the load before you start

1. List what is going in. Count barrels, boxes, appliances, furniture and vehicles from your bookings.
2. Group by destination and customer. Items for the same consignee should end up near each other where possible.
3. Decide the order. What comes out first at the destination should go in last, if your receiver unloads by customer.
4. Put big and awkward items in first. Appliances, furniture and anything that does not stack go against the front wall.
5. Mark your plan on paper and keep a copy with the booking list.

Keeping an accurate booking list per container makes planning easier, and gives you a record if something is missing on arrival. ShipBackHome groups bookings into containers so you can see what is on each one.

Loading order and stacking

Barrels

• Stand barrels upright in tight rows across the width of the container, starting at the front.
• Check the lids and bungs are tight and the barrels are sealed and labeled before loading.
• If you stack barrels in tiers, make sure the lower tier can bear the weight and the barrels are in good condition. Many shippers place a sheet of plywood or board between tiers to spread the load.
• Keep the rows tight so the barrels support each other.

Boxes and totes

• Use boxes and totes to fill the spaces around barrels and on top, with the heaviest at the bottom.
• Keep boxes of the same size together so the stack is stable.
• Do not stack more than the bottom box can carry. Crushed boxes mean damaged goods.

Appliances, furniture and large items

• Place them early, against the front wall, with padding and wrapping to prevent scratches.
• Keep refrigerators and washers upright where the manufacturer says to, and secure doors.
• Do not put heavy items on top of fragile ones.

Vehicles

Vehicles are usually loaded with ramps and blocked and braced to the floor with straps or chains and blocks. Remove or secure loose items inside, and check the fuel and battery rules with your NVOCC.

Fill gaps and secure the load

During a voyage a container tilts, rolls and jolts. Anything with room to move will move, and a shifted load damages goods, breaks barrels and can cause accidents when the doors open.

• Fill empty spaces with dunnage: airbags, boards, foam or wedges. Cheap fillers are much cheaper than claims.
• Use straps, lashing or bracing across the rear of the load, so the door side is firm.
• Do not leave a heavy load leaning against the doors. When doors open, it can fall out.
• Leave the load level from side to side, with the weight centered on the floor.
• Take photos as you load, including the finished load before the doors close. They help with claims and disputes.

Before the doors close

• Check the load against your booking list. Every barrel and box should be accounted for.
• Make sure packing lists or manifests are complete and match the load.
• Close and seal the container, and write down the seal number. Give it to your NVOCC for the paperwork.
• Confirm the weight with your trucker and the paperwork you need to give the NVOCC.
• Tell customers their goods are loaded, and give them the tracking link or the container details.

If you are preparing for the busiest weeks, read our Christmas peak season guide. To price a partly full container correctly, see how to price barrel and box shipping.