When it comes to global logistics, few tools are as essential—and as overlooked—as the humble pallet. The size and type of pallet you choose can influence how efficiently your goods ship, how they’re handled in warehouses, and what kind of additional costs you might face.

In this blog post, we’ll explore the most common pallet sizes used around the world, the difference between a pallet and a skid, when to use each, and why choosing the right one matters—especially when shipping in 20ft or 40ft containers.

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EUR Pallet (Euro Pallet)

Dimensions:1200 mm x 800 mm
Used in: Europe

 

The Euro pallet is the standard across much of Europe. It fits snugly in European trucks and warehouse racking systems and is particularly efficient in 20-foot containers, where its narrow width allows two to be placed side-by-side with minimal space wasted.

Great for narrow containers
Racking and warehouse friendly
Not optimal for 40ft container floor space

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North American Pallet (GMA Pallet)

Dimensions: 1219 mm x 1016 mm (48″ x 40″)
Used in: USA and Canada

This is the go-to pallet for the U.S. grocery and retail sectors. Slightly wider than the Euro pallet, it’s better suited to 40ft containers, where its larger footprint allows better use of the wider space.

Standard in North America
Good for 40ft container loading
Less efficient in 20ft containers

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Australian Standard Pallet

Dimensions: 1165 mm x 1165 mm
Used in: Australia

The square Australian pallet is designed for local infrastructure, especially rail-based transport. However, it’s not ISO container-friendly, which makes it problematic for export. Shipments on these pallets often require repalletising for international journeys.

Optimized for Australian supply chain
Doesn’t fit standard sea containers efficiently
Requires rework for international freight

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Southeast Asian/Asian Pallet

Dimensions: Typically 1100 mm x 1100 mm
Used in: Parts of Asia, including Japan and Korea

Popular in Asia, this pallet is designed to work with regional container and warehouse systems. It offers a compromise between load efficiency and warehouse compatibility.

Common in Asia
Works well in regional logistics
May require adjustment for Western racking systems

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Pallet vs Skid: What’s the Difference?

A pallet has both top and bottom decks, allowing it to be lifted from all sides and racked safely. A skid has no bottom deck and is meant for environments where dragging is acceptable. Skids are non-rackable, which limits their use in most warehouse environments.

Use a pallet when:

• Goods will be stored in warehouse racks

• Full forklift and pallet jack access is needed

Use a skid when:

• Sliding or dragging loads is necessary

• Goods are temporary or used in field operations

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Container Shipping Considerations

20ft Container

• Internal width ≈ 2350 mm

• Best matched with Euro pallets (1200 mm wide) for minimal wasted space

• Two Euro pallets fit side-by-side perfectly

40ft Container

• More flexible width and length

• Ideal for GMA (North American) or Asian pallets

• Allows stacking and tighter packing with wider pallets

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Non-Rackable Pallets and Slave Pallets

If you send goods to a warehouse on a non-rackable pallet (like a skid or a lightweight export pallet), you may face problems:

• The warehouse cannot place it into vertical storage racking

• Your stock will need to be decanted and re-palletised onto standard, rackable pallets

• Alternatively, they may use a slave pallet—a secondary, stronger pallet underneath to support it

This means extra labor costs and potential delays. Always check with your 3PL or receiving warehouse before shipping on non-standard pallets.

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Pallets in a Container

The table below indicates the number of pallets that can usually fit on one layer in the most common-sized containers. The ability to fit a second layer will be highly dependent on the height of the pallets and whether they are stackable.