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Chargeable weight calculator

Chargeable weight is the higher of your cargo's actual weight and its volumetric (dimensional) weight. Enter your cartons to see it for air freight, express courier, road and sea LCL (less than container load).

Your cartons

Units
Carton line 1

The result

Chargeable weight: air 800 kg, express 960 kg, road in Europe 1,599 kg, road in India 1,018 kg and sea LCL 4.800 revenue tons.

Total volume
4.8 m³
Actual weight
600 kg
Density
125 kg/m³

Chargeable weight by mode

ModeRuleVolumetricActualChargeableBilled on
Air6,000 cm³ per kg800 kg600 kg800 kgVolume
Express courier5,000 cm³ per kg960 kg600 kg960 kgVolume
Road, Europe (groupage)1 m³ = 333 kg1,599 kg600 kg1,599 kgVolume
Road, India (part load)6 kg per cubic foot (typical)1,018 kg600 kg1,018 kgVolume
Sea LCL (weight or measure)1 m³ = 1,000 kg4.800 t0.600 t4.800 revenue tonsVolume

Air and express are rounded up to the next half kilogram, road to the whole kilogram, sea LCL to three decimals. These are estimates: your carrier's rate card always wins.

Worked out in your browser: nothing you type is sent or saved.

What chargeable weight is, and when you need it

Chargeable weight is the weight a carrier bills. Light, bulky cargo takes space a heavier load could have used, so each mode counts a cubic metre as at least so many kilograms: the volumetric (or dimensional) weight. The carrier bills the higher of the two.

  • Work it out before you book, to compare air with sea, or a courier with a forwarder.
  • It shows when better packing pays: a smaller carton lowers the volumetric weight, not the actual one.
  • Each mode has its own figure, so the same cartons can be billed on their volume by air and on their weight by sea.

Volumetric and chargeable weight formula

chargeable weight = the higher of the actual and the volumetric

air: L × W × H in whole cm ÷ 6,000 (166.67 kg per m³)

express: L × W × H in whole cm ÷ 5,000 (200 kg per m³)

road, Europe: m³ × 333 kg

road, India part load: ft³ × 6 kg (about 212 kg per m³)

sea LCL: the larger of the tonnes and the m³ (revenue tons)

  • Air follows IATA (the International Air Transport Association): each side is first rounded to the nearest whole centimetre (half a centimetre or more up), 6,000 cm³ count as 1 kg, and both weights are rounded up to the next half kilogram. Measured in inches: each side to the nearest whole inch, 366 in³ to 1 kg. For several pieces, add their volumes and divide once.
  • Express couriers such as DHL count 5,000 cm³ as 1 kg; rounded here as air. Your courier may round differently.
  • Road groupage in Europe counts 1 m³ as 333 kg (DSV); road is rounded up to the whole kilogram.
  • Road part loads in India: 6 kg per cubic foot is one carrier's published figure (iCarry). It is typical: carriers differ.
  • Sea LCL (less than container load) is W/M, weight or measure: 1 m³ counts as 1 tonne, and the larger is billed, in revenue tons. Shown here to three decimals, rounded up. Your rate card may set a minimum charge (for example 1 revenue ton).

Worked example: air freight chargeable weight

The calculator starts with it.

  1. 50 cartons of 60 × 40 × 40 cm at 12 kg: 4.8 m³ and 600 kg.
  2. Air: 4,800,000 cm³ ÷ 6,000 = 800 kg, more than 600: chargeable 800 kg.
  3. Express: 4,800,000 ÷ 5,000 = 960 kg.
  4. Road in Europe: 4.8 × 333 = 1,598.4, rounded up to 1,599 kg.
  5. Road in India: 4.8 m³ is 169.51 ft³; × 6 = 1,017.06, rounded up to 1,018 kg.
  6. Sea LCL: 4.8 m³ against 0.6 tonnes: 4.800 revenue tons, billed on the volume.

Questions

Questions about chargeable weight

What is chargeable weight?

The weight the carrier bills: the higher of the actual weight and the volumetric weight. Light, bulky cargo is billed on its volume, dense cargo on its weight.

How do I calculate volumetric weight?

Round each side of the carton to the nearest whole centimetre, multiply length × width × height and divide by 6,000 for air freight, or by 5,000 for express couriers such as DHL. For several cartons, add their volumes and divide once, then compare the result with the actual weight: the higher is billed.

How many kilograms is 1 CBM?

It depends on the mode: 166.67 kg by air, 200 kg by express courier, 333 kg by road groupage in Europe, about 212 kg for road part loads in India, and 1,000 kg for sea LCL.

Why do air and express use different figures?

Airlines follow IATA's rule of 6,000 cm³ per kg. Express couriers such as DHL use 5,000 cm³ per kg, so the same box counts heavier with a courier.

What is W/M in sea freight?

Weight or measure. For LCL (less than container load), the carrier bills the larger of the weight in tonnes and the volume in cubic metres, each counted as revenue tons. Your rate card may set a minimum charge (for example 1 revenue ton).

Are several cartons rounded one by one?

No. Round each side to the whole centimetre, add the cartons' volumes, divide once, then round up to the next half kilogram. That is how IATA counts a shipment of several pieces.

Why is the India road figure only typical?

Part-load carriers in India set their own figure. 6 kg per cubic foot is one carrier's published rate, so check your carrier's rate card.

Sources

Stowtix's own calculation for the counts. Container sizes are typical: your container's door plate, and your carrier's rate card, always win.

Figures last checked . Made by Stowtix, a product of Gigadep Solutions Private Limited. Found a wrong figure? Write to info@gigadep.com.

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