CBM Calculator
Work out cubic meters (CBM), cubic feet and chargeable weight for sea freight, air freight and courier shipments.
Carton details
Container space (by volume)
Volume only — real loads leave gaps. Get a 3D loading plan for this carton →
How to calculate CBM
CBM (cubic meter) is length × width × height in meters. For a carton of 60 × 40 × 40 cm: 0.60 × 0.40 × 0.40 = 0.096 m³. Multiply by the number of cartons for the total shipment volume. In inches, divide cubic inches by 61,024 to get CBM, or by 1,728 to get cubic feet.
What is chargeable weight?
Carriers charge on actual weight or volume weight, whichever is higher.
- Sea freight LCL: 1 CBM = 1,000 kg (“weight or measure”, W/M). You pay for the larger of total CBM or gross weight in tonnes.
- Air freight: volumetric weight = L × W × H (cm) ÷ 6,000.
- Express courier (DHL, FedEx, UPS): usually L × W × H (cm) ÷ 5,000.
Divisors can differ by carrier and contract. Check your rate sheet.
How many CBM fit in a container?
A 20ft container has about 33 m³ of internal space, a 40ft about 67 m³ and a 40ft high cube about 76 m³. Real-world loads typically fit 25–28, 55–60 and 65–70 m³ of cartons respectively. See container dimensions for details.