Most first-time vehicle importers ask the same question in the same way: "How many cars fit in a container, and what will it cost me per car?" It is the right question, because once your cargo crosses an ocean, the single biggest line on your landed-cost sheet is how efficiently you filled the box. This guide explains how container loading works for cars, what typically fits, and how to calculate your real freight cost per vehicle.
Container loading always starts with three numbers: internal length, internal width and internal height. The industry-standard figures importers work with are:
| Container | Internal length | Internal width | Internal height | Usable volume (approx.) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20ft standard | ~5.9 m | ~2.35 m | ~2.39 m | ~33 m³ |
| 40ft standard | ~12.0 m | ~2.35 m | ~2.39 m | ~67 m³ |
| 40ft High Cube (40HQ) | ~12.0 m | ~2.35 m | ~2.69 m | ~76 m³ |
The 40ft High Cube is the workhorse of car shipping, because the extra ~30 cm of height is exactly what lets a car sit under a racking frame. Width is the constraint that surprises people: at roughly 2.35 m internal, a standard car body leaves very little room on either side, which is why doors are usually tied back and mirrors folded during loading.
Also remember payload. A 20ft container carries roughly 28 tonnes of cargo and a 40ft roughly 26–28 tonnes, depending on the box itself. For passenger cars weight is rarely the limit, but for pickups, vans and commercial vehicles it can be — and a container that is full before it is heavy is wasted money.
There is no single answer, because the count depends on the length of the vehicle, whether racking is used, and how much preparation the cars are given. Typical working ranges look like this:
Treat these numbers as planning ranges, not promises. The exact count is decided by the vehicle dimensions, kerb weight, the shipping line's stowage rules and the racking system available at the loading port — always confirm the loading plan in writing with your exporter and freight forwarder before you book.
1. Loose loading. The car is driven or winched in and lashed to the container floor. Simple, fast, and the default for one or two vehicles. It uses the floor area but wastes the vertical space above the car.
2. Racking. A steel frame is built inside the container so one or two additional vehicles sit above the first. Racking is the single biggest lever on cost per car, but it changes weight distribution, needs a qualified loading crew, and must be declared correctly on the shipping documents. Not every port or carrier allows it.
3. Knocked-down or flat-packed cargo. Where a market allows it, vehicles or vehicle kits can be dismantled to pack far more densely. This is common for CBD/SKD/DKD programmes and for parts, but it requires local assembly or re-assembly capability at destination.
The figure that matters is cost per vehicle, not cost per container. The arithmetic is straightforward: take the total ocean freight for the container (plus terminal handling, documents and insurance), then divide by the number of vehicles loaded. A 40HQ carrying two cars splits the freight two ways; the same box carrying three cars cuts the per-car share by a third. That is why exporters spend time on loading plans.
Compare that figure against RoRo (roll-on/roll-off), where you pay per vehicle rather than per container. For a single car, RoRo is frequently the cheaper and simpler option. For two or three vehicles, or a mixed load of vehicles and spare parts, a container often wins — and it also gives you a sealed box, less handling contact and easier consolidation.
Always add the costs that sit outside the ocean freight: loading and lashing, racking hire where used, inland transport at both ends, customs clearance, duty and VAT, and marine cargo insurance. A cheap ocean rate with heavy handling charges at destination is not a cheap landed cost.
Usually one mid-size car. The usable volume is roughly 33 m³, so a single sedan or small SUV is the normal load; racking is only worth considering for very small vehicles. Confirm the loading plan with your forwarder before booking.
Commonly two mid-size vehicles loaded loose, and up to three or four small cars with professional racking and an agreed loading plan. Large SUVs, pickups and vans often allow only one or two per box.
For a single vehicle, RoRo is often cheaper and simpler because you pay per vehicle. A container becomes competitive once you load two or more vehicles, or when you consolidate vehicles with spare parts.
Yes, where space and weight permit. A mixed load uses the empty space around the vehicle and lowers freight per item, but the packing list must list vehicle and parts lines separately.
Clean, with limited fuel, battery isolated per the carrier's rules, and matching documentation. Used vehicles in particular are usually required to be free of dirt and personal items before loading.
Planning a container shipment from China? Contact Shengyue Auto — we prepare loading plans, handle CBD/SKD/DKD and mixed loads, and quote FOB or CIF for Africa, the Middle East and beyond. Email: shengyue4499@gmail.com | WhatsApp: +86 19121331679 | www.shengyueauto.com