Calculate cubic meters (CBM) and cubic feet (CFT) for shipping and logistics.
Air freight divisor: 6000 cm³/kg (varies by carrier: 4000–6000)
CBM stands for Cubic Meter (m³). It is the standard international unit of measurement for volume in shipping and logistics. One cubic meter equals the volume of a cube with sides of 1 meter each.
Freight forwarders and shipping companies use CBM to determine how much space your cargo will occupy in a shipping container, truck, or aircraft. This measurement is crucial for calculating shipping costs and optimizing container loading efficiency.
Understanding CBM helps businesses accurately quote shipping costs, plan warehouse space, and ensure compliance with carrier requirements. Most international freight is charged either by weight or by volume, whichever is greater.
Step 1: Select your measurement system (Imperial in inches or Metric in centimeters) using the toggle at the top.
Step 2: Enter the dimensions of your package or cargo: length, width, and height in the selected units.
Step 3: Specify the quantity if you have multiple identical items to ship.
Step 4: Optionally enter the weight per item (in kg) to see volumetric weight calculations for air freight.
The calculator converts dimensions to meters, computes total CBM (length × width × height × quantity), and displays the equivalent cubic feet (CFT) plus volumetric weight using the standard air freight factor of 1:6000 (1 kg = 6000 cm³).
Scenario: You need to ship 50 boxes of products. Each box measures 120 cm × 80 cm × 100 cm.
Calculation: CBM per box = 1.2 × 0.8 × 1.0 = 0.96 m³
Total CBM = 0.96 × 50 = 48 m³
This would fit in one 40ft High Cube container (~76 CBM capacity), leaving room for packing materials.
Volumetric weight is a calculation used by carriers to account for bulky but light items. It compares the actual weight to the volume-based weight, and you are charged for whichever is higher.
A standard US pallet (48×40 inches) stacked 48 inches high is approximately 1.5 CBM. A standard Euro pallet (120×80 cm) stacked 100 cm high is approximately 0.96 CBM.
Yes, CBM should always be calculated using the outer dimensions of the final shipping box or pallet, including all protective materials and packaging.
For cylindrical items, use π × radius² × height. However, for shipping, carriers often treat them as rectangular boxes based on their maximum diameter.
CBM (Cubic Meters) is the metric unit, while CFT (Cubic Feet) is the imperial unit. 1 CBM = 35.3147 CFT. CBM is the international standard for shipping.
Carriers charge based on either actual weight or volumetric weight, whichever is greater. The formula varies: air freight uses 1:6000 (1 kg = 6000 cm³), sea freight uses 1:1000.
Standard containers: 20ft (~33 CBM), 40ft (~67 CBM), 40ft High Cube (~76 CBM), 45ft High Cube (~86 CBM). Actual usable space is 10-15% less due to packing gaps.
Yes, calculate CBM for each item type separately, then sum them. Remember to account for wasted space between irregularly shaped items when planning container loading.
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