Enter your cargo
Add a row for each different carton or pallet size. Weight is optional but needed for revenue tons.
How the CBM formula works
CBM stands for cubic metre. It is simply the space your cargo occupies, and it is the figure sea carriers use to price LCL consignments.
Length × Width × Height, all in metres, gives you CBM directly. If you are measuring in centimetres, multiply the three numbers together and divide by 1,000,000. Then multiply by the number of pieces.
Worked example
A shipper has 12 cartons, each measuring 60 × 40 × 50 cm, with a gross weight of 25 kg per carton.
- Volume per carton: 60 × 40 × 50 = 120,000 cm³ ÷ 1,000,000 = 0.12 CBM
- Total volume: 0.12 × 12 = 1.44 CBM
- Total gross weight: 25 × 12 = 300 kg = 0.3 metric tons
- Revenue tons: the greater of 1.44 and 0.3 = 1.44 W/M, so this shipment is billed on volume
Why volume usually wins
Light, bulky cargo takes up space a carrier could sell to someone else, so pricing follows whichever measure costs the carrier more. Dense cargo such as machinery or tiles flips this: the weight figure exceeds the volume figure and you are billed on tonnage instead.
Container capacity reference
| Container | Internal capacity | Realistic loading volume | Typical max payload |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20ft standard | ~33 CBM | 25 – 28 CBM | ~28,000 kg |
| 40ft standard | ~67 CBM | 55 – 58 CBM | ~26,500 kg |
| 40ft high cube | ~76 CBM | 60 – 68 CBM | ~26,500 kg |
| 45ft high cube | ~86 CBM | 72 – 78 CBM | ~26,000 kg |
Figures are industry norms for planning only. Exact internal dimensions and payload limits vary by container owner, build and road weight regulations at origin and destination. Confirm with your forwarder before you commit to a load plan.