How many kilograms of freeze-dried lotus seeds fit in a 20ft container?
About 550 cartons, or 3,850–5,500 kg net, in a 20ft dry container; about 1,100 cartons, or 7.7–11 t net, in a 40ft HC. The range comes from the cut: whole kernels sit at the lower end, halves, pieces and powder at the top. No reefer is needed at any point.
That load is the reason freight is a small line on a lotus seed quote. Most freeze-dried fruit is light and airy, so a container fills by volume long before it reaches its weight limit and every kilo carries a large share of the sea freight. Lotus seed kernels are compact, so the same box carries several tonnes more, and each kilo carries less of the freight bill.
What carton is used, and how much does it hold?
One carton for every format, so the load plan is the same whatever you buy.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Carton | 58 × 28 × 34 cm, 5-ply export carton |
| Net weight | 7–10 kg depending on cut and packing; halves and pieces pack at the top of the range, powder at 10 kg |
| Inner bags | 1–5 kg aluminium-foil PE bags, gently vacuumed, with a food-grade silica gel sachet |
| Custom | Custom cartons and palletisation on request |
Two things put lotus seeds at the heavy end of what a 58 × 28 × 34 cm carton can carry. The kernel is a dense seed, not a thin slice full of air. And each bag is drawn down under a soft vacuum, so the carton is filled with kernels rather than with the air between them. Smaller pieces fill the gaps between kernels, which is why halves, pieces and powder pack heaviest.
How do a 20ft and a 40ft HC compare?
Cartons are floor-loaded along the length of the container, 8 across and 10 deep per layer, seven layers high.
| Container | Cartons (7 layers) | Net weight | When it fits |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20ft dry | about 550 (560 at full stack) | 3,850–5,500 kg | First containers, single-format programmes, Mid-Autumn paste runs |
| 40ft HC dry | about 1,100 (1,120 at full stack) | 7.7–11 t | Annual programmes with several call-offs consolidated, or a mix of formats |
These are planning figures with a working tolerance: the final count follows your format mix and the packing list for your order. Neither load comes close to the container’s weight limit, so the container you choose is a volume and call-off decision, not a weight one.
If your first order is below a container, trial and LCL shipments use the same bags, cartons and documents, so you can test the full pack before you commit a container. A single container can also carry more than one format, for example whole kernels for a snack line and powder for a paste line, each on its own line of the packing list.
Should the container be loaded six layers or seven?
Seven on most routes; six where the route is wet or the temperature swings hard.
| Layout | Cartons per 20ft | Net weight | Headroom | When to use it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 layers | about 550 | 3,850–5,500 kg | Cartons close to the roof | Standard; most routes and seasons |
| 6 layers | 480 | 3,360–4,800 kg | About 35 cm below the roof | Rainy-season loading, hot ports, long transhipment |
The reason is container rain. A steel container heats by day and cools by night; moisture in the air inside condenses on the roof and drips onto the top layer. The foil bags keep the kernels dry, but a wet carton softens, and a top layer pressed against the roof takes the drips first. Six layers leave the roof space to shed water and let air move, for about 13% fewer cartons. Tell FruitBuys your route and month when you book, and the load plan is set before stuffing.
At the destination, move the container into the warehouse promptly rather than leaving it in full sun, and open cartons inside, not on a wet apron. How the bags keep kernels crisp through storage is in how freeze-dried lotus seeds are packed and how long they last.
What does sea freight cost per kilo?
Freight per kg = container freight ÷ net kilos in the container. Put your forwarder’s rate into the same line.
As an example for comparison only, not a quote: at USD 2,000 for a 20ft from Ho Chi Minh City to your port,
| Load | Net in the 20ft | Freight per kg |
|---|---|---|
| 7 layers, whole kernels (lower end) | 3,850 kg | about USD 0.52 |
| 7 layers, halves, pieces or powder (top end) | 5,500 kg | about USD 0.36 |
| 6 layers, whole kernels | 3,360 kg | about USD 0.60 |
| 6 layers, top end | 4,800 kg | about USD 0.42 |
The six-layer option costs about 15% more per kilo in freight, which is cheap insurance on a route where a wet top layer would cost far more. For a 40ft HC, divide your 40ft rate by 7.7–11 t; if that rate is less than twice your 20ft rate, freight per kilo falls again.
Two decisions move this number more than any rate negotiation:
- Format. Where the whole kernel is not seen in your product, halves, pieces or powder put more kilos in the same box.
- Container size. If your annual volume allows, one 40ft HC on a scheduled call-off costs less per kilo than two 20ft containers.
How freight sits beside raw material, processing and duty in the landed cost of a kilo is in container economics for freeze-dried fruit.
Does the container need temperature control?
No. Freeze-dried lotus seeds ship in a standard dry container with no reefer. At Aw ≤0.30 in sealed bulk foil bags with desiccant, they keep 18–24 months in cool storage at ≤18 °C and RH ≤50%, and the voyage and transhipment need no reefer; retail pouches packed from them are dated at 12 months. That removes reefer surcharges and plug-in charges, and the risk of a power failure at a transhipment port.
Request the load plan for your route
Tell us your format mix, destination port and month of shipment, and you receive the carton count, net weight, layer plan and packing list for a 20ft or 40ft HC, ready to give your forwarder for a freight quote. The product and documents are on the freeze-dried lotus seeds product page.
FAQ
How many cartons of freeze-dried lotus seeds fit in a 20ft container?
About 550 cartons of 58 × 28 × 34 cm loaded seven layers high, or 480 at six layers on wet or hot routes.
How many kilograms of freeze-dried lotus seeds fit in a 20ft container?
3,850–5,500 kg net, depending on cut: whole kernels at the lower end, halves, pieces and powder at the top.
How much fits in a 40ft HC?
About 1,100 cartons, or 7.7–11 t net.
How much does each carton weigh?
7–10 kg net, depending on cut and packing; powder packs at 10 kg.
Do freeze-dried lotus seeds need a reefer container?
No. They ship in a standard dry container with no temperature control.
Can one container carry more than one format?
Yes. Kernels, halves, pieces and powder can share a container, each listed separately on the packing list.
Why load six layers instead of seven?
To keep about 35 cm of space under the roof on rainy or hot routes, so condensation does not drip onto the top cartons. It costs about 13% of the cartons.
