40ft Reefer Container Loading Calculator
Plan the standard-height 40RF profile. Do not substitute dry-container dimensions or use airflow clearances as cargo space.
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 standard-height 40ft reefer is not the 40ft high cube reefer profile. CBM3 40RF uses a 1156 x 229 x 225 cm planning envelope, about 59.563 m3, and a 27,700 kg cargo limit. Test the quantity you intend to ship; a large overall CBM does not allow an upright package to exceed the planning height.
Open the 40RF loading planner. Start a new job and confirm the equipment. This initial selection does not start a calculation; an existing saved job or your own selection takes priority.
Planning profile and supplier reference
| Field | CBM3 11.63.55 profile | Supplier reference gap |
|---|---|---|
| Length x width x height (cm) | 1156 x 229 x 225 | No matching standard-height 40RF column |
| Door width x height (cm) | Not supplied | No matching standard-height 40RF column |
| Cargo access height (cm) | Not supplied | No matching standard-height 40RF column |
| Cargo payload (kg) | 27,700 | No matching standard-height 40RF column |
| Tare including machinery (kg) | Not supplied | No matching standard-height 40RF column |
| Maximum gross mass (kg) | Not supplied | No matching standard-height 40RF column |
| Volume (m3) | 59.563 rectangular envelope | No matching standard-height 40RF column |
The Seaco June 2025 reefer brochure gives specific fleet examples on PDF page 3 (printed pages 3-4), not universal dimensions. No exact standard-height 40RF supplier match is established here. Obtain the specification for the unit actually booked instead of substituting a high cube sheet. Missing profile values do not mean a check passed.
The current product record marks this profile for source review. CBM3 uses a rectangular envelope; it has no separate machinery-bulkhead or reefer-airflow geometry in this profile. Its dimensions are not a certification of the real container.
Standard height is not high cube
CBM3 uses 225 cm for 40RF and 243 cm for 40RHC, an 18 cm difference between these planning profiles. Do not describe this as a universal 30 cm usable-height increase. The reviewed Seaco brochure has a 20ft standard and 40ft high cube range; it does not validate the standard-height 40RF dimensions or payload.
Reproduce two geometric tests
Use metric units, palletization off, Horizontal Only rotation, no global rules, Normal priority and no delivery stop. Fragile is off and no extra maximum stack-weight limit is supplied. These synthetic boxes are geometry examples, not recommended refrigerated cargo patterns.
| 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 height test | 40 x 60 x 230 | 1 | 100 | 0.552 | 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 its upright height exceeds the profile. Zero allocated containers does not mean zero containers are needed: no valid placement was found for that item. The B input remains 0.552 m3 and 100 kg whether it is placed or not. Do not turn a required upright package sideways just to obtain a passing result.
Recorded on 6 October 2026 using the installed 11.63.52 Worker in Node. Independent checks cover counts, orientation, bounds, overlap, support and payload. This is not a real-browser, thermal, airflow or physical-loading acceptance test, and does not establish maximum capacity.
Before arranging refrigerated transport
Hapag-Lloyd’s reefer cargo-handling guidance addresses product preparation, packaging, loading marks, floor/air distribution and operating settings. Follow the instructions for your booked equipment and commodity. CBM3 does not assess those thermal or airflow requirements.
- Confirm the real container, cargo access and permitted loading marks with the responsible operator. A published interior dimension is not a loading-path check.
- Enter complete package or loaded-pallet outer dimensions, total height and gross unit weight. Include a base only once; keep loaded pallets upright and stacking off unless the complete unit is suitable.
- Review every placed and unplaced quantity. Ask the loading team to assess access, circulation, distribution and securing before using a geometric arrangement.
- Verify shipment mass and road equipment separately. Example cargo mass is not VGM, an axle-load approval or a cold-chain certificate.
Related planning guidance
Compare 20ft reefer container loading guide and 40ft high cube reefer loading guide. Use the step-by-step planning guide for the workflow, or return to the loading-space guide directory.
Compare Standard Reefer and High Cube Using the Same Order
Keep carton dimensions, quantities, weights, stacking and rotation permissions unchanged when comparing equipment. The recorded 230 cm upright package exceeds the 40RF planning height, while the 40RHC geometry admits it. That difference does not validate a real doorway, loading line or refrigerated handling process. Do not import the high cube supplier’s dimensions into a standard-height profile.
Prepare packed outer measurements rather than an average carton size. For complete loaded pallets, include the base height and tare exactly once, keep the unit upright and stacking off unless explicitly permitted. The example carton order has 7.680 m3 of input volume and 1,000 kg of known cargo mass. The single tall package has 0.552 m3 and 100 kg of input even though no unit is placed in 40RF. Neither figure includes unknown securing material or container tare.
40ft Standard Reefer Loading Questions
How many pallets fit in a standard 40ft reefer?
Enter complete outside pallet dimensions, height, gross unit weight, quantities and handling permissions. A bare-pallet reference count is not proof for wrapped loads. This guide provides no verified supplier pallet-count guarantee for standard-height 40RF.
Why can the same box fit in 40RHC but not 40RF?
The software profiles have different usable rectangular heights. The 230 cm upright test exceeds 40RF’s 225 cm but is below 40RHC’s 243 cm. The outcome respects the entered upright requirement; it is not a reason to silently enable Full 3D Rotation.
Can I use the 40ft high cube supplier specification for 40RF?
No. The retained Seaco brochure comparison does not supply a verified standard-height 40RF column. Its high cube machinery variants are not substitutes. Confirm the actual assigned equipment before treating the software rectangle as a physical specification.
Does a completed calculation mean all cargo was loaded?
No. Check both placed and unplaced quantities. The tall-item test completes with one unplaced item and zero allocated containers; this does not erase the shipment or establish zero equipment demand.
Will the geometric plan protect chilled or frozen cargo?
It does not assess product temperature, ventilation or air distribution. Apply the responsible operator’s commodity-specific handling instructions separately. A rectangular arrangement or high utilization is not refrigerated-transport approval.
References and Check Dates
Named references: Seaco Standard and High Cube Reefers, June 2025 brochure, inspected 6 October 2026, with no verified standard-height 40RF comparison column; Hapag-Lloyd Reefer Cargo Handling, read 7 October. CBM3 11.63.55 profile/source compatibility was checked 7 October. The recorded 11.63.52 examples remain dated 6 October, not fresh engine or thermal tests.
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.