40ft Open Top Container Loading Calculator
Use the 40OT profile to test an entered shipment. Confirm roof and door openings, lifting access and any cargo projecting beyond the permitted envelope.
Test the quantity you enter and review placed and unplaced cargo. This is a planning estimate, not a maximum-capacity guarantee or transport approval.
A 40ft open-top cargo plan tests an entered order inside the selected rectangle; an open roof is not an unlimited-height setting. CBM3 40OT uses 1200 x 235 x 235 cm, about 66.270 m3, and a 26,500 kg cargo limit. Standard-preset door and roof measurements are not supplied. Confirm the real equipment instead of treating missing access data as approval.
Open the 40OT loading planner. Start a new job and confirm the equipment before entering cargo. The initial selection does not start a calculation; a saved job or your own selection takes priority.
Planning profile and carrier example
| Field | CBM3 11.63.55 profile | Hapag-Lloyd fleet example |
|---|---|---|
| Length x width x height (cm) | 1,200 x 235 x 235 | 1,202.9 x 235 x unresolved |
| Door width x height (cm) | Not supplied | 234 x 227.6 |
| Roof opening length x width (cm) | Not supplied | 1,155.2 x 223 |
| Cargo payload (kg) | 26,500 | 28,450 |
| Tare (kg) | Not supplied | 4,050 |
| Maximum gross mass (kg) | Not supplied | 32,500 |
| Volume (m3) | 66.270 rectangular envelope | 66.8 published nominal |
The Hapag-Lloyd 40ft Open Top specification describes a carrier fleet example, not every container of that name. Nominal volume and the rectangular planning volume are different measures. Obtain the booked unit’s measurements and limits; missing profile values do not mean an access check passed.
Source discrepancy: The English inside-dimension table gives 234.4 cm height, while the same page’s diagram text gives 238.0 cm. A German result also gives 238.0 cm. Do not resolve by choosing the more convenient value; obtain the booked unit’s sheet. The disputed field is shown as unresolved in the carrier column; the software column states the current preset, not a corrected carrier specification.
Length, height and payload are different limits
A small-volume upright item can exceed the 235 cm profile height even when there is plenty of floor space. The preset supplies no roof or door opening. Its cargo-weight limit is a configured planning ceiling, not a check of concentrated floor loading, lifting points or road axle weights.
Reproduce two cargo examples
Use metric units, palletization off, Horizontal Only rotation, no global rules, Normal priority and no delivery stop. Fragile is off and no extra stack-weight limit is supplied. Leave equipment constraints at their defaults; the High Cube presets supply rear-door dimensions. Enter complete outer dimensions and weight, including any base once.
| Example | Width x length x height (cm) | Entered units | kg per unit | Input volume m3 | Stackable | This Side Up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A: cartons | 40 x 60 x 80 | 40 | 25 | 7.680 | Yes | No |
| B: upright 250 cm | 40 x 60 x 250 | 1 | 100 | 0.600 | No | Yes |
| Example | Method | Entered | Placed | Unplaced | Allocated containers | Placed volume m3 | Placed mass kg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Max Volume | 40 | 40 | 0 | 1 | 7.680 | 1,000 |
| A | Best Balance | 40 | 40 | 0 | 1 | 7.680 | 1,000 |
| B | Max Volume | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.000 | 0 |
| B | Best Balance | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.000 | 0 |
Example B completes with one unplaced item because 250 cm exceeds the 235 cm profile height. Zero allocated containers does not mean no container is needed; no valid placement was found for that item. The B input is 0.600 m3 and 100 kg whether placed or not. Keep a required upright package upright rather than changing permissions to obtain a passing result.
Recorded on 6 October 2026 with the installed 11.63.52 Worker and the current equipment-constraint helpers in Node. Independent checks cover counts, orientation, bounds, overlap, support and payload. These are reproducible engine examples, not actual browser, crane, lifting, floor-strength or physical-loading acceptance tests.
From a geometric plan to a loading decision
- Confirm the actual container and the intended entry route with the responsible operator. Do not equate roof length, interior length and end-door clearance.
- Review complete-unit weight, contact area, lifting provisions and securing with the loading team. CBM3’s cargo-weight ceiling and estimated center of gravity do not certify floor strength or axle loads.
- Keep height within the modeled envelope. This workflow is not an out-of-gauge booking or unlimited-height solver; ask the operator to assess any load extending beyond the assigned unit.
- Check every placed and unplaced quantity before sharing a plan. Extra search time is not an optimum-result guarantee. Account access and export availability follow the current tool controls, not a promise of unlimited anonymous use.
Related open-top and planning guides
Compare 20ft open top container loading guide, 20ft open top high cube loading guide, 40ft open top high cube loading guide. For the workflow, read the step-by-step planning guide, or return to the loading-space guide directory.
Compare Cartons and Upright Freight Without Hiding Unplaced Cargo
Prepare complete packed dimensions and quantities in separate rows for different sizes or rules. For a built pallet, include base height and tare once, keep it upright and leave stacking off unless suitable. Do not turn machinery or a loaded pallet onto its side merely to improve a count. The forty-carton order is 7.680 m3 and 1,000 kg. A 250 cm upright unit is only 0.600 m3 but exceeds this profile’s 235 cm ceiling. Known cargo mass is not VGM.
The Hapag-Lloyd 40ft Open Top example still has inconsistent height information: the English table and diagram text give different figures. The guide leaves that carrier field unresolved and preserves the separate 235 cm software setting. Obtain the assigned unit’s specification rather than choosing the higher figure. More overall length or CBM does not solve an upright-height restriction.
40ft Open-Top Loading Questions
How many cartons or pallets fit in a 40ft open top?
There is no single count without complete sizes and handling rules. Test the entered quantities and reconcile placed/unplaced units per container. The forty-carton example is a reproducible order test, not a maximum pallet or carton capacity claim.
Is 40OT the same as 40OTHC?
No. Standard and high cube profiles differ in height and available access metadata. Keep cargo rules identical when comparing. A high cube reference opening or payload is not permission to change the standard profile’s limits.
Why was the tall package rejected even with unused volume?
Its upright height exceeds the rectangular envelope. Both automatic methods return one unplaced item and zero allocated containers for that isolated test. That result does not mean the shipment needs no equipment.
Which of the conflicting carrier heights should I use?
This guide does not certify either conflicting external value. Confirm the booked unit with the operator. The software remains at its current configured dimensions; a convenient number is not verified equipment evidence.
Does a top opening prove a safe crane-loading procedure?
No. This plan does not simulate lifting, prove rigging or approve floor contact loads and securing. A geometric rejection is also not a determination that a separately approved alternative lift is impossible.
References and Check Dates
Named technical reference: Hapag-Lloyd 40ft Open Top fleet page, read 7 October 2026; its interior-height conflict remains unresolved. Current CBM3 11.63.55 profile/source compatibility was checked 7 October. Recorded 11.63.52 examples retain their 6 October date; no fresh physical, crane or browser calculation is claimed.
Software compatibility note, 8 October 2026 (Europe/Istanbul): The planning profiles and recorded example inputs were checked against the source-reviewed CBM3 11.63.56 candidate. The earlier example execution dates remain unchanged; this compatibility review is not a new optimization run or physical-loading test. Fleet-provider and carrier references are not manufacturer approval. Confirm the actual unit dimensions, payload and securing requirements.
How to inspect and hand over a loading plan
Use the selected plan and the complete shipment data. Recheck the result after changing cargo, equipment or handling rules.
See every cargo unit in context
Search the cargo inventory, focus on an item and switch between realistic, operational, top and side views. Inspect pallet layers and height sections.
The inventory separates requested units, units in the selected container, units in other containers and unplaced units. Select a row to find its cargo in the scene; playback and height sections show only part of the complete plan.
Use pallet details to inspect full, partial and mixed pallets. A height section filters the view; it does not remove cargo from the plan. Vehicle bodies and wheels provide visual context.
Prepare clearer warehouse instructions
Use product colors and short codes, named groups and delivery stops. Choose a summary or warehouse PDF for the selected plan.
Assign product colors and short codes to connect the cargo table, 3D view and reports. Group and stop names improve instructions; apply the appropriate loading rules when a sequence must be enforced.
Compare verified alternatives and review any manual moves. A manual reallocation affects the current preview and PDF; saved or shared inputs recalculate the automatic arrangement when reopened. Export again after changes.
Read the estimated center of gravity
Review longitudinal, lateral and height coordinates from known cargo and pallet masses. Check the displayed origin and units before comparing plans.
The estimate assumes each item's mass is centered and excludes vehicle tare. Missing or stale additional-material records can leave the complete-load assessment unavailable; explicitly declare none when no extra materials are present.
Coordinates use the load-space frame, not road height. For Step Deck, X starts at the raised front end and Y at the lower-deck datum; axle-form distances run from the rear toward the cab.
Distinguish the loading unit from its carrying vehicle
This loading unit alone does not define an axle configuration.
Inspect cargo and pallet weight distribution in this loading space. A container, swap body or air-cargo unit does not identify the road chassis, rail wagon or aircraft carrying it.
Axle estimates are available after selecting a supported complete road or rail vehicle. Enter its actual mounting positions, full empty reactions and applicable limits; do not reuse a trailer reference as container or aircraft approval.