Tool
Container loading calculator
Tea cubes out before it weighs out. Enter your packed bulk density and the calculator returns how many tonnes fit before volume runs out — and whether weight or volume is your real limit.
Why does tea cube out?
Tea cubes out because it is bulky relative to its mass. A 20ft general purpose container offers roughly 33 m³ against a payload near 28,000 kg, which means a cargo would need a packed density above about 850 kg per m³ to reach the weight limit first. Packed tea does not reach that, so volume is the binding constraint in almost every case.
| Container | Internal length | Width | Height | Volume | Max payload |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20ft general purpose | 5.90 m | 2.35 m | 2.39 m | ≈ 33 m³ | ≈ 28,200 kg |
| 40ft general purpose | 12.03 m | 2.35 m | 2.39 m | ≈ 67 m³ | ≈ 26,700 kg |
| 40ft high cube | 12.03 m | 2.35 m | 2.69 m | ≈ 76 m³ | ≈ 26,500 kg |
Work it out for your grade
At 420 kg/m³ the 20ft general purpose and 40ft general purpose cube out, while the 40ft high cube reaches the payload limit first.
| Container | Usable volume | Loaded weight | Tonnes | Limited by |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20ft general purpose | 29.0 m³ | 12,197 kg | 12.2 t | Cubes out |
| 40ft general purpose | 59.0 m³ | 24,763 kg | 24.8 t | Cubes out |
| 40ft high cube | 66.9 m³ | 26,500 kg | 26.5 t | Weight limit |
The figures above are worked at an illustrative 420 kg/m³ and 88% stowage so the table is readable without JavaScript. They are not a ODM Tea loading figure: packed bulk density is a property of the grade and the packing, not of tea, so ask for the density of the exact grade and packing before planning a container. Editing either field recalculates in your browser; nothing is sent anywhere. Nominal container volumes are used; confirm actual internal dimensions on the booking.
What changes the packed density?
Three things: how the leaf is made, how it is packed, and how it is stowed. Rolled pellets such as gunpowder pack far denser than open leaf such as white tea or strip oolong. Multiwall paper sacks compress under stack load; cartons do not. And pallets trade a few percent of usable volume for handling safety.
| Variable | Effect on loaded weight |
|---|---|
| Leaf make | Rolled pellet grades load heaviest; open leaf and strip grades load lightest |
| Packing format | Multiwall sacks compress under stack load and use volume better than rigid cartons |
| Palletised or floor-loaded | Palletising costs usable volume but reduces handling damage — a bigger factor on rail than on sea |
| Moisture | Held at or below 7.0%; higher moisture adds weight without adding saleable tea and shortens shelf life |
| Route | Rail into Central Asia via Khorgos–Altynkol has more handling events than a sea leg and usually needs reinforced packing |
Frequently asked
How much tea fits in a 20ft container?
Tea almost always cubes out before it weighs out. A 20ft general purpose container offers roughly 33 m³ of internal volume against a payload near 28,000 kg, so the limiting factor is the packed bulk density of your specific grade and packing, not the weight limit.
What is cubing out?
Cubing out is when a container is full by volume before it reaches its weight limit. It is the normal case for tea, which is bulky relative to its mass, and it is why packed density drives container economics more than payload does.
Does gunpowder load differently from white tea?
Substantially. Gunpowder is rolled into tight, dense pellets; white tea is unrolled, open leaf and far bulkier per kilogram. The same container will hold considerably more gunpowder than white tea by weight, which is why a per-container quote is meaningless without the grade and the packing specification.
Which container sizes are used for tea?
20ft general purpose, 40ft general purpose and 40ft high cube are all in normal use. Dimensions vary slightly by carrier and build, so confirm the internal dimensions on the booking rather than assuming the nominal figures.
Last updated: 26 September 2026
Next step
Need the real number for your grade?
Send the grade and the packing format. We come back with the packed density we actually load at and the tonnes per container.