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CBM Calculator is a free utility to calculate consignment's weight and volume.
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CBM is short for Cubic Meter. It is a unit of measurement used to calculate the volume of a space. It is widely used in shipping, logistics, and freight forwarding to identify what space the cargo will occupy.
The Cubic Meter calculator helps you determine the volume of an object or container in cubic meters (CBM).
To calculate the CBM, you take the length, width, and height of the item (or container) in meters and multiply them together using this formula:
CBM=Length×Width×Height
For example, a box is 2 meters long, 1.5 meters wide, and 1 meter tall. Its CBM would be:
CBM=2×1.5×1=3 CBM
It is important to understand how much space you will need to allocate for storage or shipping, and it helps to identify and calculate the shipping cost.
There are several reasons why you need to calculate CBM (Cubic Meter) when shipping:
Shipping costs are typically based on the volume (CBM) of the cargo. The more volume your cargo takes up, the more you'll pay in shipping costs. By calculating the CBM, a shipping company can calculate how much space your cargo will take on shipping via a vessel, airplane, or truck and provide an accurate quote.
Knowing the CBM will help ensure that available space is optimized in containers, especially for sea, air, or land transportation, and can help save costs (so there is no wasted space) and ensure your cargo fits optimally inside whatever container/vehicle needs transporting.
CBM calculations must also be included for customs clearing and other compliance paperwork. When making international shipments, your customs clearance paperwork may require a declaration of volume for the value of goods to collect customs tariffs and taxes.
if you need to determine if you need to ship in a particular container size and/or shipping method (i.e., 20ft container vs. 40ft container), you need to know the total CBM of your cargo so that you don't exceed the weight capacity of the container. Also, you don't pack a full 40ft container when you only need a 20ft container.
When managing logistics, freight forwarders utilize your cargo's CBM to manage and coordinate between your mode of transport (for example, sea freight and air freight), as well as ensure your goods arrive at the correct destination as planned and in time, without going over their capacity.
To summarize, you calculate CBM in shipping when establishing the space your cargo will occupy when transporting, as this impacts costs, transport planning, and documentation.
You must use meters for length, width, and height. The answer will give you the volume of the cargo or item in cubic meters (CBM).The formula to calculate CBM (Cubic Meter) is as follows:
CBM=Length × Width × Height
A. Choose the dimension unit (cm, meter, feet, inch, yard)
B. Enter the dimensions and weight of your package
C. Click “Calculate”.
D. The tool will show you the total CBM for your shipment.
CBM (Cubic Meter) is important in shipping to measure cargo volume.
The formula to calculate CBM is:
CBM = Length (m) x Width (m) x Height (m)
For various container types, the calculation for CBM stays the same, but the amount of space available is different:
If your shipment consists of multiple packages, calculate each CBM and add them. You may also find some online CBM calculators helpful.
CBM (Cubic Meter) determination is vital for sea freight transport and, therefore, calculating the cost and space used for freight transport. Here's the delivery process for sea freight...
LCL (Less than Container Load) charges are based on volume for transport, not weight.
Hence, the calculation of CBM remains:
FCL (Full Container Load) has the same CBM calculations, but we rent a whole container.
Therefore, the 20ft, 40ft, and 40ft High Cube containers vary in capacity.
If freight is loaded properly, it will maximize the container size and minimize freight costs.
Figuring out the CBM (Cubic Meter) in air cargo is important for calculating freight cost, significantly because air cargo is charged on volumetric weight instead of the actual weight. The formula is as follows:
CBM = Length (m) × Width (m) × Height (m)
In air freight, there is a conversion factor to determine chargeable weight:
Sea freight and air freight CBM are two different measures regarding shipping costs and logistics.
Sea freight CBM is calculated using the equation length x width x height in meters. It is only used to measure how well container space is being used. When calculating either full container load (FCL) or less than container load (LCL), charges are based on volume and are extended to weight at a secondary stage. Sea freight is suitable for volumes and weight when the time between items is mainly hours in hours, not days or weeks, and is the cheapest option for a large amount of cargo.
Air freight calculates CBM similarly, but CBM is converted to volumetric weight with a multipler of 167. Airlines then charge based on the higher carrier/volumetric weight. Air freight is better for speed as it is faster than sea freight. Economically, air freight is more expensive, so it should only be used for urgent and high-value shipments, where speed outweighs costs.
To calculate CBM (Cubic Meter) using inches, follow these steps:
Measure the dimensions of the package in inches (Length × Width × Height).
Convert inches to meters using the conversion factor:
1 inch = 0.0254 meters
Multiply each dimension by 0.0254 to get the values in meters.
CBM = Length (m) × Width (m) × Height (m)
To calculate CBM (Cubic Meter) using centimeters, follow these steps:
(Length × Width × Height).
CBM = Length (cm) × Width (cm) × Height (cm) ÷ 1,000,000
Dividing by 1,000,000 converts cubic centimeters into cubic meters.
For example, if a box measures
200 cm × 150 cm × 100 cm:
200 × 150 × 100 = 3,000,000 cm³
3,000,000 ÷ 1,000,000 = 3 CBM.
To calculate CBM (Cubic Meter) using feet, follow these steps:
Measure the dimensions of the package in feet
(Length × Width × Height).
Apply the CBM formula:
For example, if a box measures 10 ft × 5 ft × 2 ft:
10 × 5 × 2 = 100 cubic feet
100 ÷ 35.3147 = 2.83 CBM.
Volumetric weight, or dimensional weight, is a way to measure shipments based on space occupied by a package versus weight. This phenomenon often occurs when you have lightweight objects that take up much space. The purpose of volumetric weight is to ensure that carriers are using their space effectively.
Total Weight: This is the physical weight of the package, taken from a scale.
Volumetric Weight: This is calculated using the formula: Length × Width × Height ÷ Conversion Factor
The respective conversion factor depends upon the carrier and method (e.g., 5,000 for land freight, 6,000 for air freight).
Ultimately, the shipping cost is determined by comparing the total weight to the volumetric weight, with the higher of the two being used to determine the charge for the shipment to ensure that large/lightweight items, such as pillows or inflatable toys, are charged the correct amount
The quantity of products that fit will depend on the size, shape, and packaging efficiency. Here’s a table of common shipping container types, their dimensions, and their cubic meter volumes:
Container Type | Internal Dimensions (L × W × H) | Approximate CBM |
10ft Container | 2.84m × 2.35m × 2.39m | ~18.5 CBM |
20ft Container | 5.90m × 2.35m × 2.39m | ~33 CBM |
40ft Container | 12.00m × 2.35m × 2.39m | ~67 CBM |
40ft High Cube | 12.00m × 2.35m × 2.39m | ~76 CBM |
45ft High Cube | 13.55m × 2.35m × 2.69m | ~86 CBM |
There are several reasons for measuring CBM (Cubic Meter) that are important in logistics and shipping:
By knowing the exact CBM, you can determine whether it's more economical to use LCL or FCL shipping, select the right-sized container, and avoid paying for unused space. It also ensures that packages are properly packed to maximize container capacity.
Yes, it applies to international trade. It can help determine the volume of shipments concerning all cross-border logistics, such as accurate quoting, import/export customs paperwork, and freight planning
Yes, it helps determine how much space your goods will occupy inside the container. For both FCL and LCL shipments, you must make sure you choose the container of the appropriate size.
Yes, most CBM calculators are designed to be easy to use, with a simple entry of dimensions (length, width, height) and clear descriptions. It is relatively simple to use and does not require a technical background.
If the item is irregular, break it down into smaller regular shapes (for example, cubes or rectangles), calculate the CBM for each, and then add them all together to find the total CBM.
1 CBM (Cubic Meter) equals a volume of 1 meter x 1 meter x 1 meter. This is how much space a cubic meter of material would take up in the load unit.
The difference from kilograms to CBM depends on the density of the material. CBM is a measure of space occupied, while kg is a measure of weight. A volumetric weight formula allows you to convert weight to volume as needed.
A standard 40 ft container usually has a volume of something like 67.7 cubic meters ( depending on what type of 40 ft container it is).
If you want to find a CBM of 50kg, then you need volumetric weight from the material density to use the volumetric weight formula (Length X Width X Height / 1000) to find the CBM.
To convert 500kg into CBM, as we did with 50 kilograms, we need to use the material's volumetric weight formula and density.
Converting weight to CBM uses the volumetric weight formula, and it usually is:
Volumetric Weight (kg)=Length×Width×Height1000\text{Volumetric Weight (kg)} = \frac{\text{Length} \times \text{Width} \times \text{Height}}{1000}
Once you have a volumetric weight, you can see the actual weight. Therefore, you can find it if you are charged by weight OR volumetric.
To find the total CBM of multiple boxes, find the CBM of each box individually, then add them together. The formula remains the same:
CBM per Box=Length×Width×Height\text{CBM per Box} = \text{Length} \times \text{Width} \times \text{Height} Total CBM=∑CBM of all boxes\text{Total CBM} = \sum \text{CBM of all boxes}
To calculate CBM for a pallet, you need to measure the goods on top of the pallet and know the goods on top of the tile. Multiply the length, width, and height of the pallet and the goods stacked on it:
CBM=Length×Width×Height\text{CBM} = \text{Length} \times \text{Width} \times \text{Height}
