How many 55-gallon drums fit in a 53ft trailer?
55-gallon drums of 585 × 585 × 880 mm (also called 200 L drums, 205 L steel drums) in a 53-foot dry van trailer (US) — inner dimensions 16,000 × 2,540 × 2,790 mm. Calculated by the Cubestow engine on 2026-09-08.
Upright, single layer (not stacked). 24% of the space used, 1 layer high, about 20,240 kg (99% of payload). Payload-limited: 108 would fit by space alone. Open this load in the 3D planner →
Top view — floor layer (92 on the floor)
Side view — first row along the wall (1 layer)
The answer in detail
A 55 US gallon / 205-litre steel drum is about 585 mm in diameter and 880 mm tall; filled with a water-like liquid it weighs around 220 kg. Drums are modelled here on their square footprint, standing upright and loose (not palletised, not stacked). Palletised drums load as 48 × 48 in pallets, four per pallet.
The standard North American dry van. Inner width around 100 in (2,540 mm) fits two 48 × 40 in pallets side by side either way round; legal gross weight, not space, usually caps the load.
The simple grid estimate is 27 along the length × 4 across × 1 high = 108. The engine's validated plan holds 92, below the raw grid because the payload limit cap the load.
Variants
| Loading rule | Fits | Layers | Volume used | Total weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Upright, single layer (not stacked) (headline figure) | 92 | 1 | 24% | 20,240 kg (99% of payload) |
| Drums stacked two high (only if the drum, lid and cargo allow it) | 92 | 3 | 24% | 20,240 kg (99% of payload) |
How many 53ft trailers for a given order?
| 55-gallon drums | 10 | 25 | 50 | 100 | 250 | 500 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 53ft trailers needed | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 |
| Last one filled to | 11% | 27% | 54% | 9% | 72% | 43% |
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Frequently asked
How many 55-gallon drums fit in a 53ft trailer?
92 55-gallon drums of 585 × 585 × 880 mm fit in a 53ft trailer (inner dimensions 16,000 × 2,540 × 2,790 mm), upright, single layer (not stacked). That uses 24% of the 113.4 m³ available and weighs about 20,240 kg.
What are the inner dimensions of a 53ft trailer?
Typical inner dimensions are 16,000 mm long, 2,540 mm wide and 2,790 mm high (629.9 × 100.0 × 109.8 in), giving 113.4 m³ of space and a rated payload of about 20,400 kg. Individual units vary by a few centimetres, so check the actual box for tight loads.
Why does the payload limit matter for 55-gallon drums?
Geometrically 108 55-gallon drums would fit, but at about 220 kg each the 53ft trailer's 20,400 kg payload is reached at 92. Heavy cargo fills the weight allowance before the space.
How was this number calculated?
By running the Cubestow 3D load-planning engine on the exact dimensions above, allowing rotation on the floor plane only, no stacking and the container's payload limit, then re-validating the plan for overlaps, support and weight. Real loads leave room for dunnage, door clearance and uneven cartons, so treat the figure as the practical maximum.