Shipping
How Much Bronze Fits in a 20ft Container?
Bronze runs out of weight before it runs out of space. How to plan crates, payload and mixed pallets for a container order from Vietnam.
A container of solid bronze reaches its weight limit long before it looks full. The planning question is not “how many cubic metres” but “how many kilograms, and how are they spread across the floor”. Build your order from the weight of each piece, confirm the payload with your forwarder, and let lighter goods fill the space the bronze cannot. This guide shows the method; the exact weights come on our quotation.
Why a bronze container weighs out before it fills up
Bronze is dense. A size-65 five-piece altar set weighs about 36 kg yet fits in a few crates you could stack in a corner. Load a container with nothing but cast bronze and you reach the permitted weight with floor space still empty. That is normal, not a packing mistake, and it is why a bronze order is planned by the kilogram.
How to estimate weight from a product list
- Ask for the weight of each line on the quotation. We state weight per piece because our walls are cast solid, about 5 mm and 8 mm at load points, so two pieces that look alike can weigh quite differently.
- Multiply by quantity and add the crate. Wooden crates and packing add real weight; ask us for the packed weight, not only the net.
- Add the lines up and compare against the payload your forwarder confirms for your route.
- Leave margin. Hand casting varies, and so does the weight of each piece.
| Line | Net weight per unit | Units | Packed weight per crate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Five-piece altar set, size 65 | about 36 kg | per set | Stated on quotation |
| Other altar set sizes | Stated per piece on the quotation | per set | Stated on quotation |
| Statues and figures | Stated per piece on the quotation | per piece | Stated on quotation |
| Vessels, bowls, plaques | Stated per piece on the quotation | per piece | Stated on quotation |
How crates are stacked, and what goes on the bottom
- Heaviest crates on the floor, spread across the length of the container, never all at one end.
- Large statues crated individually and braced so they cannot shift.
- Sets packed so that one set stays in one crate or one labelled group, never split across the load.
- How we crate and cushion each piece is in packing bronze for sea freight.
Should I mix light goods into a bronze container?
Often yes. If you import other lines — wooden altars, ceramics, textiles — they can use the space bronze leaves empty, as long as the combined weight stays inside the limit and the heavy crates stay low. Agree the loading plan with your forwarder before booking, not at the port.
What to tell your forwarder before booking
- Total packed weight and number of crates, from our quotation.
- The heaviest single crate and its dimensions.
- Port of loading — Hai Phong for us.
- Whether the container is bronze only or mixed with other goods.
- Your delivery address inland, because road limits at your end may be stricter than the sea leg. Payload limits for ship and road are your forwarder’s figures to give; we do not quote them.
What if the order does not fill a container?
Then it probably should not be a full container. A part load often makes more sense for a first order; how to decide is in LCL or FCL for a bronze shipment.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a size-65 five-piece set weigh?
About 36 kg for the five pieces, before packing.
Is bronze charged by volume or by weight?
That depends on your freight terms and your forwarder. Dense cargo usually reaches its weight before its volume, which is why the weight figure matters most.
Do wooden crates need heat treatment?
Export crates are made to meet the wood-packaging rules for international shipping. Tell us the destination and we pack accordingly.
Can you load the container at the foundry?
Loading arrangements depend on the Incoterm agreed. Our trade terms page sets out what we handle.
What if I cannot fill a container?
Ship as a part load, or combine bronze with other goods you import. We will tell you which makes sense from the weight on your quotation.
Planning a container? Send your line list through the request a quote form or on WhatsApp at +84 926 199 999. The quotation states net and packed weight per line, see our specifications for sizes.