Introduction
Exporters often ask a simple question: how many lashing points does a container have? The real question is how many you need for your cargo, and whether the container’s points can carry the load you are about to put on them.
Get this wrong and cargo either slides because it is under-lashed, or a lashing ring tears out because it was overloaded. This guide explains lashing points in 20ft and 40ft containers, their typical strength, and a simple method to calculate how many your load needs. It draws on our 14 years of supplying container lashing from Rajkot. We cover counts, ratings, calculation, and mistakes.
What Are Lashing Points?
Lashing points are steel rings, bars, or slots welded into the container structure. They let you anchor straps and lashings to the box itself.
Where You Find Them
- Bottom side rails: the most used, along the floor edges on both sides
- Corner posts: at the four corners
- Top side rails: near the roof, on many containers
Some containers have folding D-rings. Others have fixed bars. Older or reconditioned boxes sometimes have missing or bent rings, so always inspect before loading.
Lashing Points in a 20ft Container
A standard 20ft dry container commonly has roughly 10 to 16 floor-level lashing points across both sides, plus points at the corner posts and sometimes along the roof rail. The exact count varies by manufacturer and container age.
Because the box is about 5.9 m long inside, points are usually spaced around 0.6 to 1 m apart along each side rail.
Lashing Points in a 40ft Container
A standard 40ft or 40ft high cube container commonly carries around 20 to 30 floor-level points, plus upper and corner points. Spacing along the rail is similar to a 20ft box. You simply get more points because the box is about 12 m long inside.
A 40ft box does not give you more strength per point. It gives you more points. That matters when you load heavy cargo into a 40ft unit: weight concentration in one area still loads only the nearby rings.
How Strong Are Lashing Points?
Container standards set minimum ratings for lashing points. Typical values are:
- Floor-level lashing points: rated around 1,000 kg (10 kN)
- Roof-level lashing points: rated around 500 kg (5 kN)
Many newer containers have higher-rated points, but you should plan on the minimum unless you have confirmed the box’s rating plate or specification.
This is the uncomfortable fact for heavy cargo: a single 8-tonne machine cannot be held by two or four lashing points. You need to spread the load across many points, or use blocking against the container frame.
How to Calculate How Many Lashing Points You Need
Step 1: Find Your Cargo Weight
Use the gross weight of each unit, not the shipment total.
Step 2: Estimate the Force to Resist
For sea transport, cargo securing guidance uses accelerations such as about 0.8g sideways in rough sea areas and 0.4g lengthwise. Friction with the floor helps, but the vertical motion of the ship reduces it.
Step 3: Divide by Point Capacity
Example: a 5,000 kg crate.
- Sideways force ≈ 0.8 × 5,000 = 4,000 kg
- Floor friction may help, but do not rely on it fully
- At about 1,000 kg per floor point, you need at least four points per side for sideways restraint, plus points for lengthwise restraint
That quickly adds up to eight or more points for one crate.
Step 4: Check Angles
A lashing pulls best when its angle suits the direction of force. A strap running almost straight up resists tipping but does little against sliding. Mix angles for sideways and lengthwise control.
Using Lashing Points With Cord Strap
Cord strap works well with container lashing points because it is light, flexible, and easy to thread.
A Typical Method
- Thread the cord strap through the lashing ring.
- Pass it around or over the cargo.
- Return to a lashing point on the opposite side, or form a loop back to the same side.
- Lock with a matching wire buckle.
- Tension using a tensioner.
Spreading the Load
Use several lighter lashings across many points rather than one heavy lashing on two points. This keeps each point within its rated capacity.
Combine With Blocking
Lashing points alone rarely secure heavy cargo lengthwise. Combine them with timber blocking, dunnage bags, or bracing against the container front wall.
20ft vs 40ft: Practical Differences
- Heavy, compact cargo: a 20ft container is often better. Weight limits are reached before space runs out, and the cargo sits in a shorter box with less room to move.
- Light, bulky cargo: a 40ft gives more space and more points.
- Mixed cargo: a 40ft needs careful planning so heavy units are spread along the length, not stacked at one end.
A common pattern in heavy-cargo exports is the 40ft container carrying only a few tonnes of machinery in the middle, with long empty spaces at both ends. That layout needs more lashing and blocking, not less.
Common Mistakes
Assuming Every Ring Is Usable
Inspect each point. A cracked weld or bent ring should not carry a load.
Lashing Everything to Two Points
This overloads the rings and usually leaves cargo free to slide.
Ignoring Roof Point Limits
Roof points are weaker. Use them for positioning and light restraint, not heavy loads.
Forgetting Weight Distribution
Heavy cargo at one end of a container can overload the box and stress the points near it.
A Worked Example: Two Machines in a 40ft Container
Say you ship two 3,000 kg machines on skids in one 40ft container.
Placement
Place them near the middle third of the box, about 1 m apart. This keeps the centre of gravity close to the container’s midpoint.
Lashing Plan per Machine
- Sideways force: 0.8 × 3,000 = 2,400 kg
- Four lashings per side at about 600 kg working load each
- Two lashings forward and two backward
- Total: about 12 lashings, spread across 12 or more floor points
Blocking
Add timber blocking between the two skids and at both ends. Fill the long empty spaces with bracing so the machines cannot gain speed lengthwise.
This plan uses most of the floor points near the middle of the box. That is why heavy cargo in a 40ft container needs a point count check before loading, not after.
Quick Inspection Before You Load
Spend five minutes on the empty box:
- Count usable floor points on each side
- Pull each ring by hand to check for play
- Look for cracked welds and rust at the base
- Note any damaged points in your loading record
FAQs
Do all containers have the same number of lashing points?
No. The count and layout vary by manufacturer, age, and type. Always check the actual container before planning.
What is the load rating of a container lashing ring?
Floor-level points are commonly rated around 1,000 kg and roof-level points around 500 kg. Some newer boxes are rated higher. Check the specification if your cargo is heavy.
Can I weld extra lashing points into a container?
Containers are usually leased or owned by shipping lines. Modifying them is generally not allowed. Use blocking, bracing, and more lashings instead.
Is cord strap strong enough for container lashing?
Yes, when you pick the right width and use enough lashings. Heavier cord strap and woven lashing are widely used in container securing.
Conclusion
The number of lashing points in a container matters less than how you use them. Count the points, respect their ratings, spread your load, and add blocking where lashings cannot do the job alone. If you are planning a heavy or unusual load, send us the weight and dimensions and we will help you work out the lashing count and the right strap.
About Amass Strapping Solution
Amass Strapping Solution in Shapar, Rajkot has manufactured container lashing cord strap, lashing strips, and wire buckles since 2012. Our products are built for real container conditions, so your lashings hold within the limits of the box.
Email amass.india@yahoo.com or call +91 99250 03577 to plan your container lashing.