Export guide

20ft Reefer Egg Loading

A 20ft reefer sacrifices usable space to insulation and refrigeration equipment. Use the booked unit’s internal dimensions, load line and payload, not the dimensions of a 20ft dry container.

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FormatBuyer guide
Size rangeSmall to Super Jumbo
Product rangeTable egg programmes

White shell eggs in magenta pulp trays beside a corrugated carton

20ft Reefer Egg Loading: scope and decision

A 20ft reefer sacrifices usable space to insulation and refrigeration equipment. Use the booked unit’s internal dimensions, load line and payload, not the dimensions of a 20ft dry container.

Use this guide to prepare a practical buying specification with your packing station, importer and freight provider. It is not a packing approval, legal opinion, live stock list or transport booking.

Compare floor loading with Euro and USA pallets.
Check door, airflow and stack-height restrictions.
Confirm chassis and local road mass limits.

Start with the egg and the actual pack

State the egg type, shell colour, numeric size threshold and actual average batch mass. Fresh shell eggs, liquid egg whites and dried egg powder have different handling, processing and labelling requirements.

Specify whether a case contains retail packs or trays. A 360-egg tray case is not the same physical pack as thirty retail dozen cartons, even when both contain 360 eggs.

Packing formats and protective materials

Retail carton options may include 6, 10, 12, 15, 18, 24 and 30 eggs, subject to available tooling and specification. Master cartons can contain trays or retail packs, with an agreed total count. Confirm material, ventilation, case strength, pocket fit and labels using a physical sample.

Super Jumbo and Jumbo eggs need adequate cell diameter and tray depth. Mixed-size lots need a declared mix and clear mixed-size marking. All examples in the loading tables assume a model carton, not verified packaging available for sale.

Workers in gloves handling trays of brown shell eggs on a rack

Claims, sourcing and documentary checks

Conventional, cage-free, free-range, organic and pasture-raised refer to different sourcing conditions. Omega-3, vitamin, vegetarian-feed and antibiotic-related claims require their own supporting evidence. Do not use one certificate to imply unrelated claims.

Ask for product-specific evidence, packing-station identity and lot traceability. Destination approval and current animal-health rules must be checked independently of an attractive product label.

How Opallex loading references work

Our container quotation reference uses 42 cartons per pallet: 9 USA pallets / 378 cartons or 10 Euro pallets / 420 cartons in a 20ft reefer; 20 USA pallets / 840 cartons or 23 Euro pallets / 966 cartons in a 40ft high-cube reefer. The scenario tables also show 30, 36, 40 and 48 cartons per pallet. Each pattern requires separate packing approval.

Egg totals assume 360 eggs per carton. Weight estimates use the stated batch-average egg mass, 2 kg carton packaging and 25 kg pallet tare. Truck calculations separately use a 600 × 300 × 320 mm model carton and geometry/payload limits. Container floor-loaded counts require actual carton dimensions and an approved stacking pattern; no fixed quantity is quoted. Airflow, compression strength, height, pallet rating and route payload must be checked before dispatch.

Opallex containers, USA pallets, Euro pallets and trucks

Opallex’s quotation references use 9 USA pallets or 10 Euro pallets in a 20ft reefer, and 20 USA pallets or 23 Euro pallets in a 40ft high-cube reefer. Approved carton dimensions, pallet patterns, airflow and payload determine the final order quantity.

Euro pallets use a 1,200 × 800 mm footprint; standard North American pallets use 48 × 40 inches. We plan small refrigerated trucks, rigid vehicles and semi-trailers around their booked body dimensions and legal cargo allowance.

Brown shell eggs on tray lines inside a packing hall

Opallex temperature, route and receiving controls

Opallex agrees the lawful temperature regime, monitoring, handovers and acceptance checks for each order. Applicable US consumer-destined shell eggs have a 45°F / 7.2°C maximum ambient refrigeration requirement. Our shipping temperature plan accounts for origin, egg handling and destination regulations.

Our export team checks destination rules for origin eligibility, food labels, permits and health documents. Sea transit and port clearance form part of the table-egg delivery plan; hatching-egg airfreight targets are a separate service standard.

Commercial comparison and next steps

For an accurate quote, share the selected product, required mass rule, pack count, carton dimensions, destination and delivery window. State whether you need floor loading, Euro pallets or USA pallets and whether the receiving warehouse imposes handling limits.

Egg supplies wholesale should be contracted against a written specification. The final signed packing list, actual equipment and approved loading instructions take precedence over a website planning estimate.

Sizes

Export sizes & packaging requirements

Weight minimums are South African approximate lower boundaries (strictly greater than), not US or European equivalences. Mixed means mixed sizes.

Lower boundary: over 72 g

Super Jumbo

Assumed batch average: 76 g

View packaging & loading requirements

Stacked pulp trays holding brown shell eggs

Lower boundary: over 66 g

Jumbo

Assumed batch average: 69 g

View packaging & loading requirements

Rows of white shell eggs in pulp trays, close view

Lower boundary: over 59 g

Extra Large (XL)

Assumed batch average: 63 g

View packaging & loading requirements

Lower boundary: over 51 g

Large (L)

Large

Assumed batch average: 55 g

View packaging & loading requirements

Three views: measuring an egg with calipers, cartons loaded in a truck, and eggs on a grading conveyor

Lower boundary: over 43 g

Medium (M)

Medium

Assumed batch average: 47 g

View packaging & loading requirements

White shell eggs packed in paper pulp trays

Lower boundary: over 33 g

Small (S)

Small

Assumed batch average: 38 g

View packaging & loading requirements

Mixed sizes; lower boundary over 33 g

Mixed Sizes

Mixed-Size

Assumed batch average: 55 g

View packaging & loading requirements

Compare

Size comparison

Weight minimums are South African approximate lower boundaries (strictly greater than), not US or European equivalences. Mixed means mixed sizes.

Size	Lower boundary	Assumed batch average	Typical uses	Handling
Super Jumbo	Lower boundary: over 72 g	76 g	Larger presentation portions and buyers specifying an especially large shell egg. For recipes sold by weight, recalculate egg counts rather than substituting one-for-one.	Confirm deep-pocket trays, cell clearance and closure height. Extra-large shells must not be forced into a standard tray or allowed to touch adjoining eggs.
Jumbo	Lower boundary: over 66 g	69 g	Foodservice portions and retail ranges where a larger individual egg is specified. Check the kitchen’s required edible yield and serving size.	Check tray cell diameter and vertical clearance under the next tray. Carton height and packing density can change when a larger pocket is needed.
Extra Large (XL)	Lower boundary: over 59 g	63 g	Retail and hospitality buyers seeking a larger egg with a clearly recorded weight threshold. Baking businesses should confirm their formulation basis.	Verify pocket fit, tray rigidity and closure pressure, especially when a consumer pack is nested inside an export master case.
Large (L)	Lower boundary: over 51 g	55 g	General retail, wholesale distribution, catering and kitchens requiring a documented large-egg specification. The word large alone is not enough for an international order.	Match the stated minimum and actual batch average to the agreed grading specification. Inspect cases for cracked shells and tray movement on receipt.
Medium (M)	Lower boundary: over 43 g	47 g	Cost-conscious retail ranges, catering and preparation lines that work to an agreed egg mass. Compare price per egg and price per usable kilogram.	Use pockets that support the egg rather than letting smaller shells move excessively. Tray fit matters even when the outer carton matches a larger grade.
Small (S)	Lower boundary: over 33 g	38 g	Buyers specifying smaller individual portions or production recipes based on measured egg mass. More small eggs may be needed for a given recipe yield.	Confirm that trays restrain the smaller shell securely. Do not use the minimum threshold as the shipping batch’s average weight.
Mixed Sizes	Mixed sizes; lower boundary over 33 g	55 g	Processing, foodservice or distribution buyers able to accept a declared size mix. The contract should state the permitted distribution and whether eggs are sold by count or mass.	Clearly mark mixed-size cases and agree the distribution of sizes. Use the measured mixed-lot average for freight calculations; there is no single uniform egg weight.

Types

Ten egg types

Compare production systems and nutrition-led specifications, with export sizes and packaging requirements for every egg type. Certificates and availability depend on confirmed supply.

Opallex export packaging

Opallex container & truck loading plans

Our export team prepares palletized and floor-loaded quotations around your egg size, master carton, receiving warehouse and destination. These planning quantities are confirmed against the approved pack, safe stacking height, airflow and booked equipment before dispatch.

USA pallets: Opallex quotation scenarios

Planning positions: 9 pallets in a 20ft reefer and 20 pallets in a 40ft high-cube reefer.

Opallex USA pallets palletized carton planning
Cartons per pallet	20ft cartons	40ft cartons
30	270	600
36	324	720
40	360	800
42	378	840
48	432	960

Euro pallets: Opallex quotation scenarios

Planning positions: 10 pallets in a 20ft reefer and 23 pallets in a 40ft high-cube reefer.

Opallex Euro pallets palletized carton planning
Cartons per pallet	20ft cartons	40ft cartons
30	300	690
36	360	828
40	400	920
42	420	966
48	480	1,104

Opallex’s 40ft USA-pallet planning reference is 20 pallets × 42 cartons = 840 cartons. At 48 cartons per pallet, the mathematical total is 960 cartons. Each scenario requires its own approved carton pattern, pallet rating, height, stability and weight checks; USA and Euro patterns are not interchangeable.

Opallex loading reference by equipment

Container rows use our supplied reference of 42 cartons per pallet: USA pallets 378 / 840 cartons and Euro pallets 420 / 966 cartons for 20ft / 40ft reefers. Egg and weight estimates use 55 g planning batch average; select a size page for size-specific calculations, 360 eggs per carton and the tare inputs below. Truck rows are separate pack-specific calculations. Container floor-loaded quantities await carton dimensions and an approved loading pattern. Floor loading always means protected master cartons without pallets, never unprotected eggs.

Loading planning estimates by equipment and loading mode
Equipment	Mode	Pallets	Cartons per pallet	Cartons	Eggs	Gross kg	Note
20ft reefer	Floor loaded (no pallets)	Not used	Not applicable	Pack approval required	Pack approval required	Pack approval required	Carton dimensions, approved floor pattern, safe layers, airflow and payload are required before quoting a floor-loaded quantity.
20ft reefer	Euro pallets	10	42	420	151,200	9,406	Opallex supplied quotation reference: 42 cartons per pallet. Egg totals assume 360 eggs per carton; weight uses the stated batch average and model tare. Final carton pattern, pallet rating, height, airflow and payload require approval. This is not the separate truck geometry model.
20ft reefer	USA pallets	9	42	378	136,080	8,465.4	Opallex supplied quotation reference: 42 cartons per pallet. Egg totals assume 360 eggs per carton; weight uses the stated batch average and model tare. Final carton pattern, pallet rating, height, airflow and payload require approval. This is not the separate truck geometry model.
40ft high-cube reefer	Floor loaded (no pallets)	Not used	Not applicable	Pack approval required	Pack approval required	Pack approval required	Carton dimensions, approved floor pattern, safe layers, airflow and payload are required before quoting a floor-loaded quantity.
40ft high-cube reefer	Euro pallets	23	42	966	347,760	21,633.8	Opallex supplied quotation reference: 42 cartons per pallet. Egg totals assume 360 eggs per carton; weight uses the stated batch average and model tare. Final carton pattern, pallet rating, height, airflow and payload require approval. This is not the separate truck geometry model.
40ft high-cube reefer	USA pallets	20	42	840	302,400	18,812	Opallex supplied quotation reference: 42 cartons per pallet. Egg totals assume 360 eggs per carton; weight uses the stated batch average and model tare. Final carton pattern, pallet rating, height, airflow and payload require approval. This is not the separate truck geometry model.
Illustrative 4m refrigerated truck	Floor loaded (no pallets)	0	0	137	49,320	2,986.6	Opallex planning envelope: 4000 × 2000 × 2000 mm; payload 3,000 kg. 5 carton layers; planning batch-average egg mass 55 g.
Illustrative 4m refrigerated truck	Euro pallets	6	20	120	43,200	2,766	Opallex planning envelope: 4000 × 2000 × 2000 mm; payload 3,000 kg. 5 carton layers; planning batch-average egg mass 55 g.
Illustrative 4m refrigerated truck	USA pallets	3	30	90	32,400	2,037	Opallex planning envelope: 4000 × 2000 × 2000 mm; payload 3,000 kg. 5 carton layers; planning batch-average egg mass 55 g.
Illustrative 6m refrigerated rigid truck	Floor loaded (no pallets)	0	0	366	131,760	7,978.8	Opallex planning envelope: 6000 × 2400 × 2300 mm; payload 8,000 kg. 6 carton layers; planning batch-average egg mass 55 g.
Illustrative 6m refrigerated rigid truck	Euro pallets	14	24	336	120,960	7,674.8	Opallex planning envelope: 6000 × 2400 × 2300 mm; payload 8,000 kg. 6 carton layers; planning batch-average egg mass 55 g.
Illustrative 6m refrigerated rigid truck	USA pallets	9	36	324	116,640	7,288.2	Opallex planning envelope: 6000 × 2400 × 2300 mm; payload 8,000 kg. 6 carton layers; planning batch-average egg mass 55 g.
Illustrative 13.4m refrigerated semi-trailer	Floor loaded (no pallets)	0	0	1,100	396,000	23,980	Opallex planning envelope: 13400 × 2450 × 2600 mm; payload 24,000 kg. 7 carton layers; planning batch-average egg mass 55 g.
Illustrative 13.4m refrigerated semi-trailer	Euro pallets	33	24	792	285,120	18,090.6	Opallex planning envelope: 13400 × 2450 × 2600 mm; payload 24,000 kg. 6 carton layers; planning batch-average egg mass 55 g.
Illustrative 13.4m refrigerated semi-trailer	USA pallets	26	36	936	336,960	21,054.8	Opallex planning envelope: 13400 × 2450 × 2600 mm; payload 24,000 kg. 6 carton layers; planning batch-average egg mass 55 g.

Opallex packaging & loading standards

Opallex loading plans are prepared for quotation and shipment planning. The approved packing specification, equipment booking and safe loading schedule determine the final dispatch quantity.
Opallex’s detailed quotation model uses a 600 × 300 × 320 mm outer carton, 12 trays × 30 eggs = 360 eggs, and 2 kg packaging tare. Replace these planning inputs with the dimensions and tare of the approved order pack.
Allow 100 mm top clearance in this simplified model; real reefer airflow channels, red load line, side/end clearance and temperature engineering can require more. No pallet overhang or double stacking is assumed.
Maximum illustrated stacking: six carton layers on a pallet or seven floor-loaded layers, further limited by available height. Box compression and tray suitability must be tested before adopting either limit.
Euro pallet: 1,200 × 800 × 144 mm with 1,500 kg rated load. USA/GMA pallet: 1,219.2 × 1,016 mm, assumed 150 mm high, 25 kg tare and conservative 900 kg rated load. Confirm the actual pallet ratings. The model uses a mixed two-lane pallet layout where it fits, not a universal pallet-position claim.
Gross carton mass = 360 × assumed average egg mass ÷ 1,000 + 2 kg packaging. Size thresholds are not average weights; substitute the actual graded batch average and packaging mass.
Floor loading means cartons loaded without pallets—not loose eggs, eggs without trays, or eggs without cartons. Uniform carton orientation is conservative, not an optimized stuffing plan.
Opallex checks equipment payload, road axle limits, chassis, port restrictions, pallet tare, securing materials and verified gross mass before confirming a load. The truck body dimensions and payloads below are quotation-planning inputs.

How we approve your dispatch plan

Cartons per pallet = cartons per approved layer × safe carton layers.
Palletized cartons = approved cartons per pallet × booked pallet positions.
Floor-loaded cartons = cartons per floor layer × approved layers, limited by payload, carton strength and required airflow.
We check egg-pocket fit, tray support, master-case strength, ventilation, batch labels and destination artwork.
Our team confirms the actual container or truck dimensions, pallet pattern, cargo mass and unloading arrangements before dispatch.

Request an Opallex packing & loading plan

Export guides

Table egg export guide directory

Related products and pages

Table eggs for consumption are separate from fertile hatching eggs.

Buyer questions

20ft Reefer Egg Loading FAQ

Can I buy eggs in bulk?

Send the required quantity, product specification and destination to sales. Current stock, origin, minimum order and export eligibility are confirmed per quotation; catalogue inclusion is not a live availability guarantee.

Are these egg sizes the same in every country?

No. The seven thresholds shown are South African reference mass boundaries. State the numeric requirement and check the destination’s grading and labelling rules rather than assuming a USA or European size equivalence.

How many cartons fit in a 20ft or 40ft container?

At 42 cartons per pallet, Opallex’s USA-pallet reference is 378 cartons in a 20ft reefer and 840 in a 40ft high-cube reefer. Our Euro-pallet reference is 420 and 966 cartons respectively. Alternative scenarios use 30, 36, 40 or 48 cartons per pallet, subject to packing approval. Container floor-loaded quantities require actual carton dimensions, safe stacking and airflow checks before quotation.

Does floor loading mean eggs without cartons?

No. Floor loading here means protective master cartons loaded without pallets. Eggs still need suitable trays, cartons, restraint and approved handling.

What should I check when comparing leading table egg exporters?

Compare the actual source and lot records, destination eligibility, claim evidence, packing specification, temperature plan and written terms. A search phrase such as top USA eggs exporters is not independent verification of a supplier’s ranking or shipment eligibility.

Do you also supply bulk egg whites or egg powder?

Shell-egg listings do not confirm processed egg availability. Read the separate buying guide and ask sales about the exact product form and specification. Do not substitute egg powder or liquid whites for a fresh shell-egg order.

Request a quote

Quote for 20ft Reefer Egg Loading

Tell us your packing requirements, destination and delivery schedule. Submit your enquiry directly to the Opallex sales team at sales@opallex.com.

Opallex quality assurance

Egg certification & export standards

Opallex’s egg export programme includes USDA and egg-grading certification. Each shipment is prepared against the product-quality, packaging and export-documentation requirements applicable to its origin and destination.

USDA certification

USDA certification forms part of Opallex’s egg export programme. Our team provides the applicable documentation and confirms its product, facility and origin scope during order review.

Egg grading & product quality

Opallex provides egg-grading certification and agreed quality specifications, including the declared grade, size requirements, packing date and batch identification for applicable egg orders.

Export documentation & standards

We coordinate the health certificates, traceability records, packing lists and other export documents required for the agreed route. Product eligibility and destination requirements are checked before dispatch.

Request certification & export requirements