55-gallon Steel drums should only be stacked one layer high, per pallet. For these, the
larger 45 x 50 x 5 pallet is usually used, for holding 4 drums; the standard pallet may be
used for 3 drums or less. One to four drums per pallet. Eight pallets will fit on a 20-foot
container floor. A second layer of 8 pallets of liquid product may be stacked on top of the
first, provided that the total weight capacity is not exceeded. This may require that the
second layer have 3 drums per pallet, on some of the pallets, depending on product
density.

20-foot container: (1 Layer) 32 Drums
20-foot container: (2 Layers) 48 to 64 drums, depending on product density.
40-foot container: (1 Layer) 44 Drums
40-foot container: (2 Layers) 64 to 88 drums, depending on product density.

5-gallon steel pails should be stacked no more than three layers high, per pallet. Stacked,
without their cartons, twelve of them will fit on a pallet, without any overhang. If they
must be packed in cartons, there will be a 2.5-inch overhang, when 12 boxed pails are put
on a standard pallet.
216 (3 layers of 9 pcs, per pallet) or 288 (3 layers of 12 pcs, per pallet) per 20-foot
container.
20-foot container: 360 pails (3 layers x 9 per layer x 8 pallets, bottom layer only +
2 layers x 9 per layer x 8 pallets) total height restriction
480 pails (3 layers x 12 per layer x 8 pallets, bottom layer only +
2 layers x 12 per layer x 8 pallets) total height restriction
40-foot container: 648 pails (2 layers x 9 per layer x 36 pallets)
864 pails (2 layers x 12 per layer x 36 pallets)