Blog · Efficiency
Container load plan: what it is and how to make one
A load plan is the instruction that says how a container is packed: which equipment is used, where each package goes, in what order it is loaded, how it is stacked and secured, and how much everything weighs. The CTU Code asks for the packing to be planned before it starts and for the container's payload never to be exceeded.
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In short
- A load plan says which equipment to use, where each package goes, in what order it is loaded and how it is secured.
- The CTU Code asks for the packing to be planned in advance and for the payload on the CSC plate not to be exceeded.
- Heavy items low and spread along the floor; the centre of gravity centred across the width and kept low.
- Whoever packs the container needs the plan at hand: as a link to the load plan or as a loading manifest (PDF).
A container packed without a plan gets decided on the dock, with the truck waiting: what goes in first, what gets stacked, where the heavy items go. That is where space is lost, weight ends up unbalanced and the packages that do not fit turn up. A load plan settles all of that beforehand, on paper.
What is a load plan?
It is the instruction that says how a container is packed: which equipment is used, which packages go in, where each one goes, in what order they are loaded and how they are secured, with the total weight and how it is distributed.
The CTU Code, the IMO/ILO/UNECE code of practice for packing containers and other cargo transport units, asks for the packing to be planned in advance (9.1.1). It leaves the format open: depending on how complex the load is, the plan can be an oral or written instruction, a sketch or a scale drawing (annex 7, 1.16). What matters is that whoever packs the container has it, and that someone checks it is followed.
It should not be confused with the ship’s stowage plan, which says where each container goes on board. The load plan is about the inside of the container.
What does a load plan include?
Everything needed to load without improvising, and to check that the cargo can travel as planned:
| Item | What it records | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Equipment | Container type and size, and its payload | The cargo has to fit by volume and by weight |
| Packages | Dimensions, weight, quantity, whether they can be stacked and which way up they go | They are the starting data for everything else |
| Position | Where each package goes: row, side and height | It is what the people loading follow |
| Loading order | What goes in first, from the front wall towards the doors | It avoids moving packages that are already loaded |
| Weight distribution | Where the centre of gravity of the cargo ends up | An unbalanced container is harder to lift and can overload a truck axle |
| Stacking | What goes on top of what, and how high | The packaging underneath has to bear the load above |
| Securing | Whether the cargo is a tight stow against the walls or secured by blocking and lashing | Nothing should move during the journey |
| Total weight | Cargo, pallets, packaging and securing material, plus the tare: the estimated VGM | Without a VGM the container is not loaded on board |
Who makes the load plan and who uses it?
Whoever organises the loading makes it, and every company involved in the shipment uses it:
- The shipper remains responsible for delivering cargo that is safe and suitable for transport, even when another company packs it (CTU Code, 4.1.2). The shipper can make the plan or have someone else make it.
- The freight forwarder uses it to quote and book the right equipment, with no containers too many or too few, and to show the customer how their cargo will travel.
- The warehouse or the dock, whoever packs the container, follows it package by package. They need it most.
- The consignee knows what to expect when the doors open. The CTU Code also asks you to think about whoever unpacks the container: nothing should be able to fall out when it is opened (annex 7, 1.7).
How do you make a load plan, step by step?
- Gather the data for each package. Dimensions, gross weight including the pallet and packaging, quantity, and whether it can take a load on top. If your data is not organised, start with the packing list template.
- Choose the equipment by volume and by weight. The cargo has to fit in the space and stay within the payload; whichever limit is reached first decides. If you are unsure, see which container do I need and, for palletised cargo, how many pallets fit.
- Check the real payload. It is the maximum gross mass on the CSC plate minus the tare. The CTU Code asks for the planned cargo not to exceed it (annex 7, 1.8). The figures on equipment data sheets are typical ranges; your container’s figure is on its plate.
- Place the packages. Heavy items low and spread along the floor; light and fragile items on top. Follow the marks on the packages and the maximum stacking height, and do not stack on packaging that cannot bear the weight (annex 7, 1.5 and 1.6).
- Check the centre of gravity. Across the width, close to the middle; in height, below half the height of the cargo space; along the length, close to the centre (annex 7, 1.11). The Code’s rule of thumb: no more than 60% of the cargo’s mass in one half of the container’s length (annex 7, 3.1.4). More detail in the CTU Code guide.
- Decide the loading order. From the front wall towards the doors, in complete rows. If there are several drops, the last in is the first out.
- Plan the securing. Either a tight stow, with the cargo packed between the walls, or a secured stow with blocking, chocks, dunnage bags or lashing where there are gaps (annex 7, 1.2). Securing guidance is in the container load optimization guide.
- Work out the total weight. Add up the cargo, pallets, packaging and securing material, then add the tare to estimate the VGM. The VGM calculator does the sum; the VGM you declare has to come from one of the two official methods, explained in the VGM guide.
If the shipment needs several containers, plan all of them before packing the first. The CTU Code recommends it: deciding which packages go in each container without a complete plan can spoil the weight distribution, the securing and the use of the space (8.1.4).
What are the most common mistakes?
Almost all of them come from planning only part of the job:
- Planning by volume only. The cargo fits, but it exceeds the payload. With heavy goods, weight runs out before space.
- Trusting the payload on a data sheet. Two containers of the same type can take different loads: the CSC plate decides.
- Concentrating the weight. Putting everything heavy at the front wall or on one side shifts the centre of gravity.
- Stacking without checking the packaging. A box that cannot bear the load on top gives way during the journey and releases the cargo.
- Forgetting the door. A package can fit inside and still not pass through it. In a standard 20′ or 40′, the door opening is about 2.34 m wide and 2.28 m high (shipping lines’ data sheets).
- Leaving the last row loose. Whatever sits against the doors has to be blocked: it is the first thing to fall out when they open.
- The plan never reaching the dock. A plan that stays in a spreadsheet, or an old printed version, is no use to the people loading.
How is the load plan shared?
With the version each party needs, and always the latest one. Whoever packs the container needs a clear instruction at hand: what goes in first and where each package goes. The forwarder and the customer need to see the equipment, the cargo and the weight without opening loose files.
If you prepare the plan with a validator such as SendContainer, you share it in two ways: a link to the load plan for the customer or the forwarder, and a loading manifest (PDF) for the warehouse or the dock, with the loading order and the position of each package.
How do I know whether the plan is right?
By validating it before you book and before you load. A plan can use the space well and still fail: exceed the weight, unbalance the container or stack where it should not. Go through the container checklist before booking and then validate your container load: you will see the recommended equipment and whether it has any weight or stowage warnings, each with its reason. Validation uses the data you enter: it does not replace the scales.
Validate this type of load: Validate a container load.
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