Blog
Load planning guides
Practical articles on truck and container loading, pallet capacity, loading metres and ERP integration. Figures come from the StowCargo engine's real calculations.
How to Prepare a Packing List: Fields and Example
A packing list shows what is in each package, how many packages ship, and their weights and dimensions. Here is how it differs from the invoice, which fields to include, and a worked net, tare and gross example.
28 October 2026 · 11 min read
CMR Consignment Note: What It Is and How to Fill It In
The CMR note records the contract and the condition of the goods on international road journeys. Scope, the three originals, box layouts, reservations and e-CMR, with primary sources.
28 October 2026 · 11 min read
Axle Load Calculation for Semi-Trailers: A Worked Guide
A truck can be under its gross weight limit and still overload one axle. Treat the trailer as a beam resting on the kingpin and the axle group: the method, a worked example, official limits and practical tips.
28 October 2026 · 11 min read
Trailer Types and Dimensions: Curtainsider, Mega, Reefer
Internal dimensions, payloads, pallet and carton capacity for curtainsider, mega, reefer, flatbed and box trailers and rigid trucks, which cargo suits which, and the legal size limits in the EU and Turkey.
28 October 2026 · 12 min read
Euro Pallet Dimensions, Weight and Load Capacity
A Euro pallet measures 1,200 × 800 mm, stands 144 mm high, weighs about 25 kg and has a safe working load of 1,500 kg. Industrial and half pallet sizes, LDM values and how many pallets fit in each truck and container.
28 October 2026 · 11 min read
FTL vs LTL: When Does a Full Truckload Pay Off?
With a full truckload you pay for the whole trailer; with a part load you pay for the space you take. How part loads are priced and how to find the point where a full truck wins.
28 October 2026 · 12 min read
How to Load a Container: Step-by-Step Loading Plan
Inspect the box, plan before the first carton goes in, keep the center of gravity near mid-length, load from the front wall to the door with heavy goods low, fill the gaps and secure the door end. A practical guide based on the CTU Code.
28 October 2026 · 12 min read
VGM Explained: SOLAS Verified Gross Mass, Method 1 and 2
VGM is the total mass of a packed container, verified by an approved method, and since July 1, 2016 SOLAS makes it a condition for loading on a ship. Method 1 vs Method 2, who is responsible, how Turkey applies it, and where a load plan helps.
28 October 2026 · 10 min read
How Many Boxes Fit on a Pallet? Step-by-Step Calculation
Boxes per pallet = boxes per layer × layers, capped by weight. A 600 × 400 × 400 mm carton gives 16 per Euro pallet. Five worked examples, turning cartons on their side, pallet patterns, and how 3,000 cartons become pallets and trucks.
28 October 2026 · 11 min read
Load Securing Rules: EN 12195-1 and How Many Straps
On the road, cargo is pushed forward with 0.8 times its weight and sideways or backward with 0.5. EN 12195-1 sets out how to secure against that. Methods, strap labels, friction and a step-by-step strap count.
28 October 2026 · 12 min read
ERP Load Planning Integration: How to Connect Your ERP
How to connect your ERP to load planning with an Excel template, a direct API or a custom integration, plus the item data, fields and project steps you need.
27 October 2026 · 11 min read
Shipping Container Dimensions and Pallet Capacity
Internal dimensions, volume, payload and pallet and carton capacity for eight container types in one table, plus when a high cube actually pays off and why Euro pallets fit poorly in containers.
27 October 2026 · 11 min read
How Many Pallets Fit in a Truck? Trailer Capacity Table
A 13.6 m curtainsider trailer takes 34 Euro or 26 industrial pallets in one layer. Here are the counts for eight road vehicles and how stacking and weight change them.
27 October 2026 · 11 min read
Load Planning Software: What It Does and How to Choose
Load planning software places every carton inside the vehicle's real internal dimensions; a spreadsheet divides volume. See the gap in a worked example and take a buyer checklist into your next demo.
27 October 2026 · 12 min read
Loading Metre (LDM): What It Is and How to Calculate It
LDM = length × width ÷ 2.4. A Euro pallet is 0.4 LDM, an industrial pallet 0.5 LDM and a 13.60 m trailer 13.6 LDM. The formula, worked examples, a trailer table and the mistakes that change your freight bill.
27 October 2026 · 11 min read