Supply Chain & Procurement worked example

Container Utilization at 99% target fill rate: a worked example in supply chain & procurement

What does the result look like when target fill rate reaches 99%? The full calculation is worked below with real intermediate numbers. Use it to cut freight cost per unit by filling containers in Supply Chain & Procurement.

The inputs for this scenario

  • Cargo volume loaded: 2,100 ft³ (unchanged)
  • Usable container capacity: 2,390 ft³ (unchanged)
  • Target fill rate: 99 % (raised for this scenario; the documented default is 90)

Working through the calculation

  • Applying the documented formula (Container utilization = volume loaded ÷ container capacity) to the inputs above produces each figure below.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 87.87 % for container utilization, the number this scenario is built around.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 11.13 points for gap to target.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 2,100 value for volume or weight loaded.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 2,390 value for container capacity.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where target fill rate sits at 90% and the headline result is 87.87 %, this scenario lands almost exactly on the baseline at 87.87 %.
  • A figure at this level is achievable when target fill rate is genuinely sustained, not just peaked for a shift. It compares volume to volume; a load can hit high cube utilization yet still be weight-limited (or vice versa), so pair it with a weight check before assuming a container is truly full.

Results at a glance

  • Container utilization: 87.87 % (headline result)
  • Gap to target: 11.13 points
  • Volume or weight loaded: 2,100 value
  • Container capacity: 2,390 value

Run it with your numbers

  • Every input above is editable in the live Container Utilization calculator, which recalculates instantly and can be shared with the inputs intact.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.