How many banana boxes fit in a 40ft reefer?
Banana boxes of 500 × 400 × 250 mm (also called fruit trays, produce cartons) in a 40-foot high-cube refrigerated container (40RH) — inner dimensions 11,583 × 2,294 × 2,557 mm. Calculated by the Cubestow engine on 2026-09-08.
Boxes kept this-side-up (turned on the floor plane only). 88% of the space used, 10 layers high, about 22,610 kg (78% of payload). Open this load in the 3D planner →
Top view — floor layer (119 on the floor)
Side view — first row along the wall (10 layers)
The answer in detail
The standard banana carton is about 500 × 400 × 250 mm and weighs roughly 19 kg loaded (18.14 kg of fruit). Bananas travel palletised in reefers with the boxes always upright; the loose-box count here is the theoretical maximum for the space.
Inner length and width are reduced by the insulation and the machinery. Cargo must not block the airflow along the ceiling or the T-floor.
The simple grid estimate is 23 along the length × 5 across × 10 high = 1,150. The engine found 1,190 — 40 more than either uniform grid — by mixing orientations so that the leftover strip along the wall is used and by choosing the orientation that gives the most layers. The top view above shows the pattern.
Variants
| Loading rule | Fits | Layers | Volume used | Total weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boxes kept this-side-up (turned on the floor plane only) (headline figure) | 1,190 | 10 | 88% | 22,610 kg (78% of payload) |
How many 40ft reefers for a given order?
| Banana boxes | 100 | 250 | 500 | 1,000 | 2,500 | 5,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40ft reefers needed | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| Last one filled to | 8% | 21% | 42% | 84% | 10% | 20% |
Mixed cargo, different carton sizes or delivery stops? Plan the exact shipment in 3D — free, in the browser, nothing uploaded.
Frequently asked
How many banana boxes fit in a 40ft reefer?
1,190 banana boxes of 500 × 400 × 250 mm fit in a 40ft reefer (inner dimensions 11,583 × 2,294 × 2,557 mm), boxes kept this-side-up (turned on the floor plane only). That uses 88% of the 67.9 m³ available and weighs about 22,610 kg.
What are the inner dimensions of a 40ft reefer?
Typical inner dimensions are 11,583 mm long, 2,294 mm wide and 2,557 mm high (456.0 × 90.3 × 100.7 in), giving 67.9 m³ of space and a rated payload of about 29,000 kg. Individual units vary by a few centimetres, so check the actual box for tight loads.
How much does a full load of banana boxes weigh?
1,190 × 19 kg ≈ 22,610 kg, which is 78% of the 29,000 kg payload — so this load is limited by space, not weight.
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, stacking with at least 80% base support 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.