Calculator Tools
CBM Calculator
Calculate CBM (cubic meter), cubic feet, air volumetric weight, and 20/40 ft container fit for shipping cartons and LCL freight, with multi-carton totals.
Dimension unit
CBM uses meters internally. Pick whichever unit your packing list uses; the tool converts every dimension to meters before the cubic-meter calculation.
Weight unit (optional)
Weight per carton is optional. Enter it to see chargeable air freight weight (max of gross and volumetric).
LCL freight is typically billed per CBM with a 1 CBM minimum. Toggle on to multiply your total by a rate.
Carton list
Add one row per carton size. Use Quantity for cartons of the same dimensions; the tool multiplies CBM and weight accordingly.
CBM per piece: 0.084 m3
CBM for 40 pcs: 3.36 m3
CFT total: 118.6573 ft3
Air vol weight (1:6000): 561.12 kg
Gross weight: 720 kg
Chargeable air: 720 kg
CBM per piece: 0.03375 m3
CBM for 20 pcs: 0.675 m3
CFT total: 23.8374 ft3
Air vol weight (1:6000): 112.73 kg
Gross weight: 180 kg
Chargeable air: 180 kg
Worked examples
Container fit (ocean dry containers)
Nominal capacity is the manufactured internal volume. Usable capacity is what most stowage plans actually achieve after the bulkhead, blocking, bracing, and product geometry; treat it as a realistic upper bound, not a guarantee.
| Container | Nominal CBM | Usable CBM | Nominal fill | Usable fill | Fits at usable? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
20 ft Standard (20 GP) Most common dry container. 33.2 CBM nominal, ~28 CBM usable after stowage loss. | 33.2 m3 | 28 m3 | 12.2% | 14.4% | Yes |
40 ft Standard (40 GP) Standard 40 ft dry container. 67.7 CBM nominal, ~58 CBM usable. | 67.7 m3 | 58 m3 | 6% | 7% | Yes |
40 ft High Cube (40 HC) 40 HC adds 30 cm of internal height. 76.4 CBM nominal, ~68 CBM usable. | 76.4 m3 | 68 m3 | 5.3% | 5.9% | Yes |
45 ft High Cube (45 HC) 45 HC. 86.0 CBM nominal, ~78 CBM usable. Restricted on some lanes. | 86 m3 | 78 m3 | 4.7% | 5.2% | Yes |
How CBM is computed
- CBM (m3): multiply length, width, and height in meters. If your dimensions are in centimeters, divide by 1,000,000; if in inches, multiply by 0.0254 first and then cube; if in feet, multiply by 0.3048.
- CBM total: CBM per piece multiplied by the quantity. Sum the row totals to get the shipment total.
- CFT (ft3): CBM x 35.3146667. Some US warehouses still quote cubic feet.
- Air volumetric weight: CBM x 167 kg, equivalent to L_cm x W_cm x H_cm divided by 6,000. This is the IATA general cargo ratio. Couriers may use 5,000 (express) or 4,000 (bulky low density) instead.
- Chargeable weight (air): the larger of gross weight and volumetric weight. Carriers always bill on the larger figure.
- w/m rule (ocean LCL): ocean LCL freight is billed as weight or measurement, whichever is greater. The convention is 1 metric tonne per 1 CBM, so under 1,000 kg per CBM the CBM wins and you pay per cubic meter.
Reference: common conversions
| From | To | Factor |
|---|---|---|
| cm | m | divide by 100 |
| in | m | x 0.0254 |
| ft | m | x 0.3048 |
| m3 | ft3 | x 35.3147 |
| cm3 | m3 | divide by 1,000,000 |
| m3 | kg (air) | x 167 (IATA 1:6000) |
| kg | lb | divide by 0.45359237 |
How to use
- Pick a dimension unit (centimeters, meters, inches, or feet) and a weight unit (kilograms or pounds) at the top.
- Add one carton row per carton size. Set the quantity to multiply CBM and weight for cartons of the same dimensions.
- Optionally enter gross weight per carton. With weight in hand the tool also reports IATA air volumetric weight and the chargeable air weight (max of gross and volumetric).
- Read the shipment totals panel for total CBM, cubic feet, pieces, gross weight, and chargeable air weight. Use Copy summary to paste the full breakdown into a quote or PO.
- Toggle Estimate freight cost to multiply billed CBM (with a configurable 1 CBM minimum) by a per-CBM rate in your chosen currency.
- Scroll to the Container fit table to see how the shipment sizes against 20 GP, 40 GP, 40 HC, and 45 HC dry containers at both nominal and realistic usable capacity.
About this tool
CBM Calculator (Cubic Meter) turns a packing list into a complete LCL freight worksheet. Each row is a carton, case, or pallet defined by length, width, height, and quantity, with an optional gross weight per piece. The tool converts every dimension to meters, computes CBM per piece (L x W x H), CBM total (multiplied by quantity), cubic feet (1 CBM = 35.3147 CFT), and air freight volumetric weight using the IATA 1:6000 ratio (167 kg per CBM). When a weight is provided, the tool also reports the chargeable air weight, which carriers bill on as the maximum of gross and volumetric weight. Dimensions accept centimeters, meters, inches, or feet so an Asia carton list in cm and a US PO in inches can be added side by side without converting first. The shipment totals card sums every row into total CBM, total CFT, total pieces, total gross weight, total air volumetric weight, and total chargeable air weight. An LCL freight cost estimator multiplies billed CBM (with the standard 1 CBM minimum that ocean LCL forwarders apply) by a per-CBM rate in nine currencies. The container fit table compares your total CBM against 20 ft Standard (20 GP), 40 ft Standard (40 GP), 40 ft High Cube (40 HC), and 45 ft High Cube (45 HC) dry containers, showing both nominal capacity (the manufactured internal volume) and realistic usable capacity (allowing for stowage loss), plus the percentage fill and a clear pass / over-by-X result. Built for ecommerce sellers, Amazon FBA preppers, freight forwarders quoting LCL bookings, ocean liner sales teams, importers comparing CFR vs. EXW vs. FOB invoices, manufacturers planning FCL vs. LCL splits, and 3PL ops teams reconciling cube against a vendor's packing list. Everything runs locally; carton dimensions, weights, and rates never leave your browser. The tool models the standard formulas; it does not include carrier surcharges, BAF, CAF, ENS, security fees, customs duties, or stuffing constraints, so always reconcile critical bookings against a forwarder's quote.
Free to use. Works in your browser. No signup, no login.
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