Free freight calculator
CBM calculator for shipping
Calculate the cubic meters (CBM) of a shipment from carton dimensions in centimeters, millimeters, meters or inches. See cubic feet, air volumetric and chargeable weight, the ocean LCL weight-or-measure figure and how many containers the shipment fills.
Cartons
Measure the outside of each carton. Add the gross weight per carton for chargeable weight.
Shipment volume
Enter carton dimensions to calculate CBM.
Moving it inland in the US?
Get live LTL rates from the port or warehouse to your customer, or use the container load calculator to plan the box count.
How to calculate CBM for a shipment
Measure each carton type
Measure the outside length, width and height of each carton size, and weigh one carton.Enter quantities
Add a line for each carton size with how many you are shipping. The calculator multiplies and adds them.Read the totals
Total CBM prices LCL ocean freight; chargeable weight prices air freight; the container count tells you whether a full container is worth it.
Freight volume terms
- CBM
- Cubic meter: 1 m × 1 m × 1 m, about 35.3 cubic feet.
- LCL / FCL
- Less than container load (shared container, priced per CBM) and full container load (priced per container).
- Volumetric weight
- A weight calculated from size. Carriers charge it when it is more than the actual weight.
- Revenue ton (W/M)
- For LCL, the greater of cubic meters and metric tons; the unit the rate is multiplied by.
CBM calculator FAQ
- How do I calculate CBM?
- Multiply length × width × height in meters to get cubic meters for one carton, then multiply by the number of cartons. In centimeters, multiply the three sides and divide by 1,000,000. A 60 × 40 × 50 cm carton is 0.12 CBM, so 100 of them are 12 CBM.
- What is CBM in shipping?
- CBM stands for cubic meter, the unit freight forwarders and ocean carriers use to price less-than-container (LCL) shipments and to plan how much fits in a container.
- How do I convert CBM to cubic feet?
- One cubic meter is about 35.315 cubic feet. Multiply CBM by 35.315, or divide cubic feet by 35.315 to get CBM.
- What is chargeable weight for air freight?
- Air cargo is charged on the greater of the actual gross weight and the volumetric weight. The common IATA factor is 6,000 cubic centimeters per kilogram, which is about 167 kg per CBM. Express couriers often use 5,000 cm³ per kg (200 kg per CBM). Check your carrier’s factor.
- How is LCL ocean freight charged?
- LCL is usually charged per revenue ton, the greater of the volume in cubic meters and the weight in metric tons (“weight or measure”, W/M), often with a minimum of 1 CBM.
- How many CBM fit in a 20ft or 40ft container?
- A 20-foot container has about 33 CBM of space and a 40-foot about 67 CBM (a 40-foot high cube about 76 CBM), but cartons rarely fill every corner. Plan on roughly 85% of the space, and use the container load calculator for an exact carton count.
Moving freight inside the US?
Get live LTL and truckload rates from the port, warehouse or factory to your customer.
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Request a free auditResults are estimates from the dimensions you enter. Container dimensions and payloads are typical values; carriers and forwarders set their own volumetric factors, minimums and capacity.