Bundle quantities and container loading — pieces per bundle, per ton and per container
Steel is sold by weight but ordered and checked by the piece, so importers need both: how many 6 m bars of 40×40×2 make a ton (76), how many bundles fit a 20' (about 20 t), and how the container is loaded so nothing shifts at Jebel Ali. This guide gives the standard bundle quantities we use, container payloads by product, and the packing list format that clears customs.
Container and truck payloads for steel
| Unit | Internal L × W × H | Payload limit | Practical steel load | Max. length inside |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20' DV | 5.90 × 2.35 × 2.39 m | 21.5–28 t | 20–21 t | 5.85 m (6 m bars diagonal — avoid) |
| 40' DV / HC | 12.03 × 2.35 × 2.39 / 2.69 m | 26.5 t | 24–25 t | 11.95 m (12 m bars fit; 12.1 m do not) |
| 40' open-top | 12.03 × 2.35 × 2.35 m | 26.5 t | 24–25 t | 12 m, crane-loaded from above |
| 40' flat-rack | 12.0 × 2.4 m (open) | 40 t | 30–35 t | 13.5 m with overhang permits |
| 13.6 m tautliner truck | 13.6 × 2.45 × 2.7 m | 24 t | 22–24 t | 13.5 m |
| Breakbulk | — | — | lots 100 t+ | any |
Port and road gross-weight limits (30.48 t for a 40' box incl. tare 3.8–4.0 t) set the ceiling; some destinations cap at 24 t.
Hollow sections — bars per bundle and per ton
| Section | kg per bar | Bars per bundle | Bundle weight | Bars per ton | Bundles per 20' (≈ 20 t) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 × 20 × 1.5 | 5.0 | 150 | 750 kg | 200 | 27 |
| 30 × 30 × 2 | 10.2 | 100 | 1 020 kg | 98 | 20 |
| 40 × 40 × 2 | 13.1 | 80 | 1 050 kg | 76 | 19 |
| 40 × 40 × 3 | 19.8 | 60 | 1 190 kg | 50 | 17 |
| 50 × 50 × 2 | 17.6 | 60 | 1 060 kg | 57 | 19 |
| 50 × 50 × 3 | 25.5 | 45 | 1 150 kg | 39 | 17 |
| 60 × 60 × 3 | 31.1 | 36 | 1 120 kg | 32 | 18 |
| 80 × 80 × 3 | 42.4 | 25 | 1 060 kg | 24 | 19 |
| 100 × 100 × 4 | 70.2 | 16 | 1 120 kg | 14 | 18 |
| 120 × 120 × 5 | 105 | 9 | 945 kg | 9.5 | 21 |
| 150 × 150 × 5 | 134 | 8 | 1 070 kg | 7.5 | 19 |
| 100 × 50 × 3 | 39.6 | 30 | 1 190 kg | 25 | 17 |
| 120 × 60 × 4 | 63.0 | 20 | 1 260 kg | 16 | 16 |
Pipe — bars per bundle and per ton
| NPS × wall | kg per bar | Bars per hex bundle | Bundle weight | Bars per ton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ½" × 2.0 | 5.7 | 217 | 1 240 kg | 175 |
| ¾" × 2.3 | 8.4 | 127 | 1 070 kg | 119 |
| 1" × 2.6 | 12.0 | 91 | 1 090 kg | 83 |
| 1¼" × 2.9 | 17.0 | 61 | 1 040 kg | 59 |
| 1½" × 3.2 | 21.4 | 61 | 1 300 kg | 47 |
| 2" × 3.2 | 27.0 | 37 | 1 000 kg | 37 |
| 2½" × 3.6 | 38.5 | 19 | 730 kg | 26 |
| 3" × 4.0 | 50.2 | 19 | 950 kg | 20 |
| 4" × 4.5 | 73.1 | 7 | 510 kg | 14 |
| 6" × 4.5 | 107 | 7 | 750 kg | 9.3 |
| 8" × 6.0 | 189 | 3–4 | 570–760 kg | 5.3 |
Hex bundles use 7, 19, 37, 61, 91, 127, 217 pieces; each bundle carries a tag with size, heat number, count and weight.
Angles, flats, channels and beams
| Product | Example | kg per bar | Bars per bundle | Bundle weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Equal angle | 40 × 40 × 4 | 14.5 | 80 | 1 160 kg |
| Equal angle | 50 × 50 × 5 | 22.6 | 50 | 1 130 kg |
| Equal angle | 100 × 100 × 10 | 90 | 12 | 1 080 kg |
| Flat bar | 50 × 5 | 11.8 | 100 | 1 180 kg |
| Flat bar | 100 × 10 | 47.1 | 25 | 1 180 kg |
| Channel | UPN 100 | 63.6 | 16 | 1 020 kg |
| Channel | UPN 200 | 152 | 8 | 1 210 kg |
| IPE (12 m) | IPE 200 | 269 | 4 | 1 080 kg |
| HEB (12 m) | HEB 200 | 736 | 2 | 1 470 kg |
| Rebar-type bundling not used; all bundles strapped 3–5 times |
Coils, sheets and plates per container
| Product | Unit | Weight | Per 20' | Per 40' HC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HR / HDG / CR coil | Coil 7–8 t, eye-to-sky on cradle | 7–8 t | 3 coils (21 t) | 3 coils (24 t) — weight-limited |
| Coil 10 t | Eye-to-sky | 10 t | 2 coils | 2 coils |
| Sheet packs 1 250 × 2 500 | Pack 2–3 t on skid | 2–3 t | 7–9 packs (20 t) | 8–10 packs (24 t) |
| Plate 6 m | Pack to 5 t | 5 t | — (too long) | 4–5 packs (24 t) |
| Sandwich panel 50 mm | Pack 10 pcs × 11.8 m | ≈ 1.2 t | — | 9–10 packs (≈ 900 m²) |
| Trapezoidal sheet 0.50 mm | Pack 60–100 sheets | 1.5–3 t | — | 12–14 t (2 500–3 500 m²) |
| Stainless sheet | Pallet 2–3 t interleaved | 2–3 t | 6–8 pallets (18 t) | 8–9 pallets (22 t) |
Loading and lashing practice
- Coils on timber cradles eye-to-sky, chocked and lashed with steel band to the floor lashing rings; never eye-to-door
- Bundles laid lengthwise, heavy at the bottom and over the axle zone, dunnage between layers, chocked against the walls with timber
- Long products: fill the width first, then height; keep the centre of gravity low and central; door-end bulkhead of timber for pipe and sections
- Sheet packs and plates on skids, strapped to the floor; VCI paper and desiccant for galvanized, cold-rolled and stainless on voyages over 14 days
- Container weight declared (VGM) per SOLAS; one packing list per bundle number, heat number and weight
Packing list and marking
Every bundle carries a weatherproof tag: product, size, grade, standard, heat number, number of pieces, net and gross weight, bundle number and order number. The packing list repeats these per bundle and per container and is the document customs, SASO/SONCAP inspectors and your warehouse use to count the delivery; the EN 10204 3.1 certificate is cross-referenced by heat number. Mixed containers (e.g. 12 t hollow sections + 8 t pipe + 4 t angles) are loaded with a plan drawing so unloading order matches the list.
Planning an order
Start from the container: 20–21 t for a 20', 24–25 t for a 40' HC. Convert quantities to weight with the bars-per-ton columns (or the weight calculator), round bundles to full bundle sizes, keep 6 m products for 20'/40' and 12 m for 40' HC only, and reserve 2–5% for dunnage and tolerance. Send the piece list and we return the loading plan, exact weights and the number of containers within one working day.
Frequently asked questions
How many 6 m bars of 40×40×2 in a 20-foot container?
About 1 500 bars (76 per ton × 20 t), packed as 19 bundles of 80.
How many tons of steel fit in a 40' container?
24–25 t in practice (26.5 t payload limit, 30.48 t gross), unless the destination port or road caps lower; 12 m bars and 6 m plates fit lengthwise.
Can 6 m bars go in a 20' container?
Yes — internal length 5.90 m is just short of 6.0 m, so 6 m bars are loaded diagonally only with care; most mills cut 5.8 m for 20' shipments or use 40' boxes. We advise 40' HC for 6 m and 12 m.
What is on the bundle tag?
Size, grade, standard, heat number, piece count, net/gross weight, bundle and order number — matching the packing list and the 3.1 certificate.
Do you prepare the loading plan?
Yes — from your piece list we return weights per bundle, containers required and a loading drawing within one working day.