Palletized freight
Preparing a stable, measurable handling unit while separating pallet ratings, cargo restraint, carrier limits, and route-specific wood-packaging requirements.
Tags: delivery, packaging, freight, pallets
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Capacity is not a universal number
Use the actual pallet design, condition, load distribution, and support arrangement. As a bounded example, EPAL lists its Euro pallet at 800 × 1,200 × 144 mm, approximately 25 kg, with 1,500 kg safe working load. It separately states that, when laden pallets are stacked on a solid, even surface, the load on the bottommost pallet must not exceed 5,500 kg. The second statement is a conditional stacking provision, not permission to transport 5,500 kg of cargo on one pallet. EPAL Euro pallet specifications
Do not transfer those figures to another pallet, a damaged pallet, a point load, or an unsupported rack arrangement. EPAL identifies defects such as broken boards, missing components, and poor general condition in its exchange/condition guidance. Inspect the actual base and use the appropriate rating or supplier assessment for the intended support conditions. EPAL condition criteria
What the pallet does
Check pallet strength, carton compression and unitization separately. FedEx addresses each in its pallet guide. FedEx pallet packing guidance
Define the shipment's handling route before selecting the package: pickup and delivery equipment, docks or liftgates, transfers, storage, stacking, and transport mode. Carrier requirements belong to a named service and geography. A carrier's acceptance limit and a pallet's load rating answer different questions; satisfying either one does not prove the other.
Carton stacking, overhang, and unitization
FedEx recommends column stacking for top-to-bottom carton compression strength and notes that interlocking can improve stability when carton contents are rigid. It advises against product overhanging the pallet and against pyramid stacks that lack a level top surface. These are different tradeoffs: an arrangement can look stable while transmitting stacking loads poorly. Match the carton strength, contents, stacking pattern, and restraint instead of choosing a pattern solely to maximize box count. FedEx carton-stacking guidance
Stretch wrap, straps, edge boards, blocking, and cushioning perform different functions. For example, FedEx Canada's Express Freight packing advisory requires a forkliftable/pallet-jackable base with at least 3.5 inches (9 cm) clearance, and specifies banding plus stretch wrap for single pieces above 150 lb (68 kg), subject to its hardened-container alternative. These requirements apply to the named service and region. FedEx Canada Express Freight advisory
Measure the completed handling unit
Measure after packing, including the pallet, protection, and any protrusions. Record gross weight and outer length, width, and height with units. NMFTA's LTL density calculator expressly requests the finished handling unit's outside dimensions and weight including pallet and packaging. Density is weight divided by occupied volume; it is not itself a pallet-strength rating or a guaranteed freight classification. NMFTA LTL density guidance
Original illustrative example, not a carrier limit: twelve cartons each measure 400 × 300 × 250 mm and weigh 18 kg. A layout of two along the 800 mm side and four along the 1,200 mm side holds eight cartons per complete layer. Putting all twelve on one base therefore needs a partial second layer, which requires a separately evaluated stacking/support arrangement; the arithmetic alone does not establish a level, load-bearing top.
For comparison, assume a fully supported arrangement is qualified with a finished envelope of 800 × 1,200 × 700 mm, a measured 25 kg pallet, and 5 kg of restraint/protection. Gross weight is 12 × 18 + 25 + 5 = 246 kg; volume is 0.8 × 1.2 × 0.7 = 0.672 m³; average gross density is 366.07 kg/m³. These numbers do not establish carton compression capacity, center-of-gravity stability, or carrier acceptance. Actual dimensions and weight must replace the assumptions before booking.
XPO likewise instructs shippers to include the pallet in both dimensions and weight. Retain the carton count separately from the handling-unit count so “one pallet” does not obscure what is inside it. XPO measuring guidance
Transport restraint and delivery equipment
A unit load still needs appropriate stowage and securing within the vehicle or cargo transport unit. IMO describes the 2014 IMO/ILO/UNECE CTU Code as a non-mandatory global code covering packing and securing for sea and land transport. Unitizing cartons onto a pallet is not equivalent to securing that pallet against movement in a container or trailer. Plan both interfaces and apply the relevant transport requirements. IMO CTU Code overview
Confirm stackability and handling arrangements with the selected service. FedEx Canada's advisory says its listed Express Freight shipments should be stackable and warns that nonconforming packaging can cause inspection, delays, and surcharges. A “do not stack” label communicates a restriction; it does not create physical protection or override the booked service conditions. FedEx Express Freight conditions
ISPM 15: route and material matter
ISPM 15 concerns phytosanitary treatment and marking of regulated wood packaging, not pallet structural capacity. APHIS's US import guidance, last modified July 27, 2026, addresses wood packaging entering or transiting the United States and directs importers to check requirements through ACIR. Pallets, crates, and dunnage can all fall within the scope; inspect more than the main base. APHIS wood-packaging import guidance
For a bounded destination example, the European Commission states that covered wood packaging and dunnage from non-EU countries must be debarked, treated, and officially marked. It lists exemptions including wood 6 mm thick or less, packaging made entirely from processed wood such as plywood or OSB, and trade within the EU. Do not treat a plywood crate wall as an exemption for separate solid-wood skids or braces. Verify the entire construction and applicable origin/destination rules. European Commission wood-packaging requirements
Shipment release information
A useful release record identifies the goods and carton count, handling-unit count, gross weights, finished dimensions, pallet type/condition, restraint, stacking restrictions, and pickup/delivery handling needs. Keep the carrier/service acceptance and any regulated-wood evidence attached to the actual shipment configuration. Recheck the package when quantity, routing, base, or loading method changes; an earlier successful shipment does not validate a different load.