A load plan decides how much fits in the box and whether it all arrives in one piece. Here's how to make one, by hand or with our free cargo planner.
Measure and weigh every package
You need the length, width and height of every package as it will be loaded, so on its pallet if it's on one, and the weight of each. Group identical packages and count them. Round up, never down: a carton that's a centimetre too tall for the space that's left is a carton that doesn't go in.
Decide what can carry weight
Ask two questions about each kind of package. Can something go on top of it? And is it fragile? A strong carton of tinned food can carry another row. A crate of glassware shouldn't carry anything and belongs on top of the load. In the planner these are the stackable and fragile boxes.
Heavy at the bottom, spread along the floor
Put the heaviest packages on the floor and the lighter ones above them. Spread the weight along the length of the container instead of piling it at one end: a lopsided box is harder to lift and to drive, and the cargo inside moves more on the way.
Everything above the floor needs something solid under it. The planner won't place a package unless at least three quarters of its base rests on the floor or on cargo directly underneath, and it keeps every package upright.
Stay inside the payload
Every container has a maximum payload. The planner counts the weight as it packs and stops adding cargo before the box goes over, then shows you how many items fitted and how many were left out. Our guide to choosing a container has the payload of each size.
Fill the gaps and secure the load
Cargo that can move will move at sea. Fill the gaps with airbags, dunnage or timber bracing, and strap or block the last row so nothing falls against the doors when they're opened.
Declare the verified gross mass
Before a packed container can go on a ship, the shipper has to declare its verified gross mass, or VGM: the cargo, the packing and bracing, and the empty container, either weighed together or added up by an approved method. It's been a requirement of the SOLAS convention since July 2016, and a container without one isn't loaded.
Let the planner do the packing
In the cargo planner, pick a container and add each kind of package with its size, weight, quantity, and whether it's stackable or fragile. Then press Optimise. It packs everything in 3D, shows how much space and payload you've used, and exports the plan as a PDF you can send to your supplier or to us.
It's a planning aid. The people loading the container make the final call on the stow. If you'd rather we planned it for you, send us your packing list.
