Free tool
CBM calculator for shipping cartons
Enter each carton size and how many there are. You get the total volume in cubic metres (CBM) and cubic feet, what LCL sea freight will charge on, and how full a 20 or 40 foot container would be.
Box sizes
Total volume
0 CBM
0 cubic feet
Boxes
1
Sea freight (LCL) charged on
0 W/M
the higher of CBM or tonnes (1 CBM = 1,000 kg)
How it is worked out
CBM of one carton
Length × width × height in metres. In centimetres: L × W × H ÷ 1,000,000. A 50 × 40 × 30 cm carton is 0.06 CBM.
Total CBM
CBM of one carton × number of cartons, added up for every carton size in the shipment.
LCL sea freight (W/M)
Shared-container freight is charged on the higher of the volume in CBM or the weight in tonnes, so 1 CBM counts the same as 1,000 kg.
Container fit
Compared with the internal volume of a 20' (about 33 CBM), 40' (about 67 CBM) and 40' high cube (about 76 CBM). Real loads fit less because of pallets and gaps.
Questions
- How do I calculate CBM?
- Multiply length × width × height in metres. If you measured in centimetres, multiply the three and divide by 1,000,000. Then multiply by the number of cartons.
- How many CBM fit in a 20 foot container?
- A 20 foot standard container has about 33 CBM of internal space. In practice a load usually fills less, because of pallets, carton shapes and the space needed at the doors.
- How many CBM fit in a 40 foot container?
- About 67 CBM of internal space in a 40 foot standard container, and about 76 CBM in a 40 foot high cube.
- What is W/M in sea freight?
- Weight or measure: LCL freight is charged on whichever is higher, the volume in CBM or the weight in tonnes (1,000 kg = 1 revenue tonne).
- How many cubic feet are in 1 CBM?
- One cubic metre is about 35.31 cubic feet.
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