Maxgrow Pte
Ltd
Email : sales@almaxco.com
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Container Loading Guidelines
We are frequently asked by customers to advice them on maximum loading volumes to optimize freight costs when they place an order.
To explain this process clearly we have to take a look at 5 basic Steps
- To determine the maximum allowable length available for loading inside the container
- To determine the length of the panels which the customer wants to order, including the space required for the pallet
- To determine how many rows we can load from back to the front of the container based on the required length the customer requires
- To determine based on the number of sheets a customer requires per pallet ( due to weight restriction during unloading) the maximum number of sheets per pallets ( Height) we can load in each row?
- To determine the Gross Weight of the cargo with the weight of pallets, even though panels may be loaded, it is very important to consider the final weight of the container. ( This will vary with based on thickness of panels and type of core. FR core panels are heavier than PE core panels.
Step 1: To determine the maximum allowable length available for loading inside the container
The 1st thing to note is the sizes of containers (20 foot & 40 Foot)
Standard 20 foot container:
| inside
length
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inside
width
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inside
height
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door
width
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door
height
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capacity |
tare
weight
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maxi
cargo
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| 19'4" |
7'8" |
7'10" |
7'8" |
7'6" |
1,172CuFt |
4,916lbs |
47,900lbs |
| 5.900m |
2.350m |
2.393m |
2.342m |
2.280m |
33.2CBM |
2,230Kg |
21,770Kg |
Length ( 20 foot FCL):
Standard inside Length Dimensions of most 20 foot containers is about 5900mm, we must leave space of 200mm in the front of the container so the doors of the container can be closed properly. So the maximum allowable length available for loading (including space required for wooden pallets) is 5700mm only.
Height ( 20 foot FCL):
Though the height space available in the container is 2300mm, we can only utilize a maximum height space of 2000mm. This is so that during unloading a forklift can lift the top most pallet up slightly before pulling it out. Also we use a A Frame for loading the pallets, the maximum height we can use is 2000mm only
Standard 40 foot container:
| inside
length
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inside
width
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inside
height
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door
width
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door
height
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capacity |
tare
weight
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maxi
cargo
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| 39'5" |
7'8" |
7'10" |
7'8" |
7'6" |
2,390CuFt |
8,160lbs |
59,040lbs |
| 12.000m |
2.350m |
2.392m |
2.340m |
2.280m |
67.7CBM |
3,700Kg |
26,780Kg |
Length ( 40 foot FCL):
Standard inside Length Dimensions of most 40 foot containers is about 12000mm, we must leave space of 200mm in the front of the container so the doors of the container can be closes. So the maximum allowable length available for loading (including space require for wooden pallets) is 11800mm only
Height ( 40 foot FCL):
Though the height space available in the container is 2300mm, we can only utilize a maximum height space of 2000mm. This is so that during unloading a forklift can lift the top most pallet up slightly before pulling it out. Also we use a A Frame for loading the pallets, the maximum height we can use is 2000mm only
Step 2: To determine the length of the panels which the customer wants to order, including the space required for the pallet
Now, that we know length of maximum allowable length available for loading, we have to look at the length of panels which you require and take into account that every pallet will need about 50mm space for the wooden pallets which will add on to the length of the panels
So for Instance, if your required panel length is 3050mm, we must consider space of 3100mm
(Including space required for the pallet!!)
Step 3: To determine how many rows we can load from back to the front of the container based on the required length the customer requires
Standard 20 foot details:
Standarf 40 foot details:
Step 4: To determine based on the number of sheets a customer requires per pallet ( due to weight restriction during unloading) the maximum number of sheets per pallets ( Height) we can load in each row?
Different customers will have different requirements for the number of sheets per pallet. Some customer have the equipment in their warehouse to unload the pallets even if they are as heavy as 2 tons or more, while other only wish to have 80 sheet or 100 sheets per pallet.
Customers are advised to furnish us any special instructions relating to the number of sheets they require on the purchase order and we would then assist in calculating the optimum loading volumes.
As a rule of thumb, we can approximately load 350 sheets per row for a 4mm panel, subject to about 100 to 115 sheets per pallet. If the customer requires less sheets per pallet, the number of sheets per row would be reduced.
Step 5: To determine the Gross Weight of the cargo with the weight of pallets, even though panels may be loaded, it is very important to consider the final weight of the container. ( This will vary with based on thickness of panels and type of core. FR core panels are heavier than PE core panels.
Once the total number of sheets per pallet and the total number of pallets are determined, it is also important to keep in mind the weight of the cargo ( including weight of the pallets). A basic guideline for most of the common thickness is as follows:
| Type |
Weight (kg)/m2 |
Weight Per Pallet |
| 2mm 0.20/0.20 ( PE Core) |
2.7 |
80 kg / pallet |
| 2mm 0.30/0.30 ( PE Core) |
3 |
| 3mm 0.20/0.20 ( PE core) |
3.6 |
| 3mm 0.30/0.30 ( PE Core) |
4 |
| 4mm 0.30/0.30 ( PE core) |
5 |
| 4mm 0.40/0.40 ( PE Core) |
5.3 |
| 4mm 0.50/0.50 ( PE Core) |
5.5 |
It is to be noted that a 20 Foot FCL can be loaded with a maximum of 21 Tons, while a 40 Foot FCL can be loaded with a maximum of 23 Tons. We can try to load 1 or 1.5 tons more per FCL, but many times shipping lines will take an objection to this and may impose an Over Weight Surcharge. If customers are acceptable to pay this surcharge we can try to load this extra 1 or 1.5 tons
Simple Example on Calculating weight of panels and pallets:
Assuming a customer has an order of (W) 1250mm x (L) 4000mm x 4mm thickness ( PE core)
Given that the length is 4000mm, we would have to use a 40 foot FCL, using a 20 foot FCL would be waste as we can only load 1 row of 350 sheets. If we use a 40 foot FCL, we can load 2 rows of 350 sheets, which is 700 sheets.
700 sheets would be packed in 7 pallets of 100 sheets each
To calculate the weight: 1.25 x 4 = 5m2/sheet x 5.5kg/m2 = 27.50kg/m2
27.50kg per sheet x 700 sheets = 19.25 tons
7 pallets weight: 80kg/pallet x 7 = 0.56ton
Total weight of this container would be 19.81 Tons
Container Unloading Guidelines
| Option 1:
Using a slope ramp for the forklift to go up and down into the container and lift one pallet out at a time.
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| Option 2:
Backing up the trailer with the container in an unloading bay where the container and floor of the warehouse level up and a forklift can easily go in and out of the container and lift one pallet out at a time. |
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Option 3:
One of the most useful equipments customers can invest in to unload the pallets, is the " A Frame". We can supply this equipment to our customers at cost should they require. The A Frame a simple Steel Frame with 4 wheels, the A Frame can slide in and out of the container on steel tracks which will come with the A Frame. The A Frame Slides in over the pallets as shown in the
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image. There are four pully's with chains, which are attached to the four corners of the A frame. At the end of the each of the four chains are hooks in which industrial strength belts can be attached to. These belts slide underneath the pallet, once the belts are fastened, four workers are needed at each corner of the A Frame to start pulling the chain, the pallets will slowly rise and the workers can then simply push the whole A Frame out of the container with the pallet. Once out of the container, the workers pull the chains on the four pully's in the opposite direction and slowly lower the pallet to the ground. The process is repeated until all the pallets are out. Once out of the container, a fork lift can move the pallets around.
For more details on the A Frame, please feel free to contact one of our sales team members or click here.
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