CBM Calculator
CBM (cubic metres) is the volume of your shipment: length times width times height in metres. Enter your carton size and quantity below to get the total CBM and the air volumetric weight. Units convert automatically.
The CBM formula
CBM per carton = length (m) x width (m) x height (m). Total CBM = CBM per carton x number of cartons. To convert from centimetres, divide each side by 100 first; from inches, multiply by 0.0254. Sea freight LCL is usually priced per CBM (or per 1,000 kg, whichever is greater), and air freight uses the volumetric weight of 167 kg per CBM.
Frequently asked questions
How do you calculate CBM?
CBM (cubic metres) is length times width times height, with all three measured in metres. For one carton: convert each side to metres, multiply them, then multiply by the number of cartons for the total CBM. For example a 40 x 30 x 25 cm carton is 0.40 x 0.30 x 0.25 = 0.03 CBM.
How do I convert carton dimensions in cm to CBM?
Divide each side in centimetres by 100 to get metres, then multiply the three. So 60 x 40 x 50 cm is 0.6 x 0.4 x 0.5 = 0.12 CBM per carton. This calculator does the conversion for cm, mm, m, inches and feet automatically.
What is volumetric weight and how does CBM relate to it?
Air freight is charged on the greater of actual weight and volumetric (dimensional) weight. The standard conversion is 1 CBM = 167 kg. So a 2 CBM shipment has a volumetric weight of about 334 kg, and you pay on that if the goods weigh less.
Next: see how many cartons fit in a container with the container load calculator, work out duty and freight with the landed cost calculator, or grab a packing list template.