Logistics

Planning container loading for a mixed portable AC order

Alan Zhu19 August 20266 min read

Loading quantity depends on carton size, stacking limits and how many models share the container. Plan it before you confirm quantities, not after.

Planning container loading for a mixed portable AC order article cover

Loading quantity is a specification

Pieces per container is derived from carton dimensions, carton weight, stack height and whether the goods are floor loaded or palletised. Because those inputs change between models, a single catalogue figure for the whole range does not exist: each model carries its own 20', 40' and 40' high cube quantities.

A useful habit is to treat the loading table as part of the commercial offer. When the quantity per container is visible, buyers can see whether a model fits their order plan before the carton artwork is even approved.

Working with the three standard sizes

A 20' general purpose container takes roughly 28 m³, a 40' general purpose about 58 m³ and a 40' high cube about 68 m³ of usable space. Those are planning figures only; the real answer comes from the carton size and stacking arrangement.

As an example from the catalogue, a 12,000 BTU/h model with a 468 × 378 × 870 mm carton loads around 138 pieces in a 20', 294 in a 40' and 440 in a 40' high cube. A larger commercial unit with a 674 × 417 × 882 mm carton loads far fewer pieces per container, which changes the freight cost per unit noticeably.

Mixing models in one container

Mixed loading lets smaller buyers build a complete container instead of ordering one full batch of a single model. The constraint is that cartons have different heights, so the plan has to stack in layers and keep the heavier cartons at the bottom.

Where combined models are loaded, the packing list should show the stack plan, the carton marks and the model split so that unloading and customs checks match the paperwork.

Palletising, documents and freight

Palletised loading protects cartons and speeds up handling, but it reduces the number of pieces per container. Floor loading is more space-efficient and is often used for full container orders.