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Containers

Drums and Bags per Container Calculator

Count how many drums or bags fit in a container or truck, with square or staggered rows, tiers and the payload limit.

Package type

5,898 mm × 2,352 mm × 2,393 mm · Max. payload 28,250 kg

Presets

Drum size

Results update as you type.
mm
mm
kg

Stacking limit from the drum supplier or dangerous-goods rules.

Presets marked ≈ are common approximations; measure your own packaging.

Result · 20GP

✓

80 drum

2 tiers × 40 drums · straight (square grid) pattern

Per tier (floor)40
Tiers2
Floor patternStraight (square grid)
Total weight18,400 kg
Volume utilisation57.0%
Weight utilisation65.1%
Open in 3D Planner

See the real load pattern in 3D, free and without sign-up.

Top view · Straight (square grid)

5,898 mm × 2,352 mm

Side view

Per tier (floor)
40
Tiers
2
Total
80 drum
Total weight
18,400 kg
Space, not weight, is the limit: 18,400 kg in total of the 28,250 kg payload.
Drums are assumed upright. For liquid-filled drums, put pallets or boards between tiers and secure them with lashing; follow the IMDG Code when the contents are dangerous goods.

In the 3D Planner, a drum is approximated as a 585 mm × 585 mm × 880 mm box.

About this calculator

Drums and bags are everyday packaging in Indonesian exports: steel or plastic drums for chemicals, oils and oleochemicals, and bags for rice, sugar, fertiliser, coffee or cocoa. Unlike cartons, drums are cylinders, so the way you arrange them on the floor decides how many fit. There are two basic patterns: square (drums in straight rows, like a grid) and staggered (every other row shifted by half a diameter so the drums nest into the gaps of the previous row).

Staggered rows do not always win. On the 2,352 mm floor of a 20' GP, four rows of Ø585 mm drums fit exactly in a square pattern, while a staggered pattern also gets only four rows but loses a drum in every shifted row. This calculator works out the square pattern and both directions of the staggered pattern, keeps the best one, multiplies it by the number of tiers that fit in the height and then applies the payload limit. Bags are treated as flat boxes with the dimensions of a filled bag, using the same engine as the cartons calculator.

The result is a planning estimate. Make sure the drums may be stacked (check the packaging marks and the specification of the contents), use boards or pallets between tiers where needed, and leave room for securing. Flexible bags bulge, so the real count can differ a little. If the contents are dangerous goods, follow the IMDG Code and the shipping line's requirements.

Worked example

Steel 200 litre drums of Ø585 × 880 mm, 230 kg each, go into a 20' GP (internal 5,898 × 2,352 × 2,393 mm).

  • Square pattern: 5,898 ÷ 585 = 10 and 2,352 ÷ 585 = 4 → 40 drums per tier
  • Staggered pattern: rows lengthwise give only 38, rows crosswise 39 → square wins
  • Tiers: 2,393 ÷ 880 → 2 tiers → 40 × 2 = 80 drums
  • Weight: 80 × 230 = 18,400 kg, within the 28,250 kg payload

Space, not weight, is the limit: 80 drums in two tiers.

How to use it

  1. Choose the load space

    Pick a container or truck from the catalogue, or enter the length, width, height and payload of your own space.

  2. Enter drum or bag size

    For drums, enter diameter, height and weight per drum; for bags, enter length, width and thickness of a filled bag and its weight.

  3. Limit the tiers

    Optional: set a maximum number of tiers when the drums or bags may not be stacked to the full height available.

  4. Read and plan

    See the best pattern, count per tier, total, weight and whether space or payload is the limit; open it in the 3D Planner for the full layout.

Frequently asked questions

How many 200 litre drums fit in a 20 ft container?
With Ø585 × 880 mm drums, a 20' GP floor takes 40 drums per tier (10 × 4) and the height allows 2 tiers, so 80 drums. At 230 kg each that is 18,400 kg, still within payload.
How many 200 litre drums fit in a 40 ft container?
Geometrically a 40' GP takes about 81 drums per tier in staggered rows, or 162 in 2 tiers. At 230 kg per drum, though, the payload of about 26,730 kg limits the load to 116 drums.
Which is better, square or staggered rows?
It depends on the width of the space and the drum diameter. Staggered rows win when the width leaves room for an extra row; otherwise square rows hold more and are easier to secure.
How do I count bags in a container?
Measure a filled bag (length, width, thickness) and weigh it, then enter it as a bag. The calculator stacks it like a flat box; since bags are flexible, allow a little tolerance.
Can drums be stacked two high?
Many drums are designed to be stacked, but the limit depends on the drum type, its contents and weight. Check the packaging marks or the supplier specification, and use boards or pallets between tiers where recommended.

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