Pallet placement starts with the usable loading rectangle, not the outside dimensions. A count calculated before subtracting doorway clearance, restraint space, load overhang, turning room and refrigerated airflow paths is only a rough geometry result.
Try both orientations
As an example, take a usable rectangle of 5.9 x 2.35 m and a loaded pallet footprint of 1.2 x 0.8 m. The floor operation rounds each division down to a whole row or column. With the long side along the length, floor(5.9 / 1.2) x floor(2.35 / 0.8) = 4 x 2 = 8 pallets. Rotating the pallet gives floor(5.9 / 0.8) x floor(2.35 / 1.2) = 7 x 1 = 7.
Mixed layout: an 11-pallet candidate
A 1.2 m wide lane where each pallet consumes 0.8 m along the lane fits 7 pallets, while a 0.8 m wide lane where each pallet consumes 1.2 m fits 4. The total is 11 pallets, using 1.2 + 0.8 = 2.0 m of width and at most 7 x 0.8 = 5.6 m of length. That leaves 0.35 m of width and 0.3 m of length in the fuller lane; the layout enters the plan once doorway, restraint and airflow checks are done.
| Check | Example calculation or question | How to read it |
|---|---|---|
| Usable floor | Hypothetical 5.9 x 2.35 m | Usable rectangle, not a real internal measurement |
| Straight orientation | floor(5.9/1.2) x floor(2.35/0.8) | 8 geometric pallets |
| Rotated orientation | floor(5.9/0.8) x floor(2.35/1.2) | 7 geometric pallets |
| Mixed two lanes | 7 + 4 | 11 candidates, 2.0 m total lane width |
| Weight | floor(5,000/600) | Hypothetical weight limit of 8 pallets |
Weight can limit geometry
Assume 5,000 kg remains for loaded pallets after accounting for securing materials, attached equipment and other cargo. If each pallet, packaging and product together weighs 600 kg, floor(5,000 / 600) = 8. Eight weigh 4,800 kg; nine weigh 5,400 kg. CTU Code Annex 4 §2.4 derives cargo allowance from maximum gross mass after subtracting container tare, attached items and securing/bracing materials. On a reefer the integral refrigeration unit is part of the tare, while a clip-on generator is deducted separately; avoid deducting the same mass twice.
Do not fill every gap automatically
Keep space for loaded overhang, doorway access, pallet-truck turning, restraints, weight distribution and required airflow. On refrigerated containers the floor channels and the clearance in front of the unit vary from one unit to the next; the carrier drawing and loading instructions set the figure.
Check weight distribution separately
Staying below the total mass limit does not establish acceptable axle or floor loading. CTU Code Annex 7 §3.1.7 addresses vehicle-specific load-distribution diagrams. Add the selected pallets' masses and positions to the vehicle plan, then complete axle, point-load and restraint checks with the carrier.
Compare the drawing with real measurements
Mark each pallet footprint and orientation, doorway clearance, turning space, restraint points and airflow corridor on the plan. The general count in how many pallets fit in a container? does not carry over to another internal dimension or pallet type.
