CBM Calculator for Shipping
CBM = length × width × height (in meters) × cartons. A 60 × 40 × 35 cm carton is 0.084 CBM, so 100 of them are 8.4 CBM.
Freight rate and container assumptions
The usable share is your planning assumption, not a carrier figure. Gaps between cartons, pallets and bracing mean no container loads at 100%.
Container fit
| Container (typical internal) | Usable CBM | Your share | Containers needed | Cartons per box by dimensions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20ft standard5.90 × 2.35 × 2.39 m · 33.1 CBM | – | – | – | – |
| 40ft standard12.03 × 2.35 × 2.39 m · 67.6 CBM | – | – | – | – |
| 40ft High Cube12.03 × 2.35 × 2.69 m · 76.0 CBM | – | – | – | – |
Cartons by dimensions counts one carton size loaded in its best single orientation, ignoring weight limits. With several carton sizes, it shows the first line.
The calculation runs in your browser.
How to Calculate CBM in 3 Steps
- Measure the packed carton. Take the outer length, width and height, including bulges and handles. Product sizes from a catalog understate CBM.
- Multiply and convert. Multiply L × W × H, then convert to cubic meters with the divisor for your unit in the table below.
- Multiply by cartons and add lines. Multiply by the carton count, then add every carton size together for the shipment total.
| Your dimensions are in | CBM per carton | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Centimeters | L × W × H ÷ 1,000,000 | 60 × 40 × 35 cm = 84,000 cm³ = 0.084 CBM |
| Inches | L × W × H ÷ 61,024 (approx.) | 24 × 18 × 18 in = 7,776 in³ = 0.1274 CBM |
| Millimeters | L × W × H ÷ 1,000,000,000 | 600 × 400 × 350 mm = 0.084 CBM |
| Meters | L × W × H | 0.6 × 0.4 × 0.35 m = 0.084 CBM |
| Feet | L × W × H ÷ 35.3147 | 4 × 3 × 3 ft = 36 ft³ = 1.019 CBM |
A Chicago Importer Consolidating Three SKUs
A lighting brand in Chicago, Illinois is booking one LCL shipment from its supplier with three carton sizes, measured in inches and pounds.
| SKU | Carton (in) | Cartons | Weight / carton | CBM / carton | Line CBM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Desk lamp | 24 × 16 × 14 | 120 | 28 lb | 0.0881 | 10.572 |
| Lamp shade | 18 × 12 × 10 | 200 | 15 lb | 0.0354 | 7.079 |
| Floor lamp | 30 × 20 × 20 | 40 | 45 lb | 0.1966 | 7.866 |
| Total | 360 | 8,160 lb | 25.517 |
- Volume, not weight, drives the LCL bill here: 25.517 CBM against 3.701 metric tons.
- Sent by air at ÷6000, the same cargo would bill about 4,253 kg, far above its 3,701 kg actual weight.
- At 90.6% of a 20ft, it is worth asking for both an LCL and a full-container quote before booking.
CBM of Common Carton Sizes
Every figure below is calculated with the same formulas as the tool. Container counts assume one carton size in its best orientation and ignore weight limits.
| Carton | CBM | Cubic feet | Cartons per 1 CBM | Per 20ft | Per 40ft HC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 × 30 × 30 cm | 0.0270 | 0.95 | 37 | 931 | 2,240 |
| 40 × 30 × 30 cm | 0.0360 | 1.27 | 27 | 686 | 1,680 |
| 50 × 40 × 30 cm | 0.0600 | 2.12 | 16 | 392 | 1,050 |
| 60 × 40 × 35 cm | 0.0840 | 2.97 | 11 | 270 | 720 |
| 60 × 40 × 40 cm | 0.0960 | 3.39 | 10 | 225 | 600 |
| 12 × 12 × 12 in | 0.0283 | 1.00 | 35 | 931 | 2,184 |
| 18 × 12 × 12 in | 0.0425 | 1.50 | 23 | 665 | 1,560 |
| 20 × 20 × 20 in | 0.1311 | 4.63 | 7 | 176 | 460 |
| 24 × 18 × 18 in | 0.1274 | 4.50 | 7 | 225 | 520 |
| 24 × 20 × 20 in | 0.1573 | 5.56 | 6 | 144 | 380 |
How CBM Turns Into a Freight Bill
The same cubic meters are billed differently by each mode. These are the conversions carriers commonly use. Your contract or rate sheet is what decides.
Billed per W/M: the greater of CBM or metric tons. Many forwarders apply a minimum of 1 W/M.
You pay for the box, not the CBM. Filling more of it lowers your cost per carton.
Volumetric weight at the IATA divisor of 6,000 cm³ per kg. Chargeable is the greater of actual and volumetric.
Couriers commonly use 5,000 cm³ per kg, which makes light, bulky parcels cost more.
| Charge | Formula | Worked value for 8.4 CBM, 1,200 kg |
|---|---|---|
| LCL W/M | max(CBM, kg ÷ 1,000) | max(8.4, 1.2) = 8.4 W/M |
| Air volumetric | CBM × 1,000,000 ÷ 6,000 | 1,400 kg |
| Air chargeable | max(actual kg, volumetric kg) | max(1,200, 1,400) = 1,400 kg |
| Express chargeable | max(actual kg, CBM × 200) | max(1,200, 1,680) = 1,680 kg |
How Many CBM Fit in a 20ft, 40ft and 40ft High Cube
Gross CBM is the empty box. Usable CBM applies the 85% planning share from the calculator, which you can change above.
| Container | Typical internal size | Gross CBM | At 85% usable | Cubic feet (gross) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20ft standard | 5.90 × 2.35 × 2.39 m | 33.1 | 28.2 | 1,170 |
| 40ft standard | 12.03 × 2.35 × 2.39 m | 67.6 | 57.4 | 2,386 |
| 40ft High Cube | 12.03 × 2.35 × 2.69 m | 76.0 | 64.6 | 2,686 |
Door and height limits
The door opening is smaller than the interior. Tall cartons or pallets must clear the door as well as the ceiling.
Weight before volume
Dense cargo such as tiles or liquids hits the container’s payload limit long before it fills the space. Check the carrier’s maximum gross weight.
Mixed carton sizes
Several sizes rarely stack as tightly as one. Lower the usable share when your load mixes many sizes.
CBM for Pallets and Irregular Items
Measure the smallest box the item would fit inside. For pallets, that box includes the pallet deck and any overhang.
| Load | CBM | Cubic feet |
|---|---|---|
| 48 × 40 in GMA pallet, 60 in loaded height | 1.888 | 66.7 |
| 48 × 40 in GMA pallet, 72 in loaded height | 2.265 | 80.0 |
| 120 × 80 cm EUR pallet, 150 cm loaded height | 1.440 | 50.9 |
| 120 × 100 cm pallet, 160 cm loaded height | 1.920 | 67.8 |
Cylinders and rolls
Use the diameter for both width and height. Carriers bill the space the roll takes up, not its true volume.
Overhang
Measure to the widest point of the load, not the pallet edge. Overhang on any side adds to CBM.
Non-stackable freight
If nothing can go on top, carriers may bill the full height to the ceiling. Ask before you book.
Use Your CBM to Choose LCL or a Full Container
There is no universal break-even CBM, because it moves with every lane and season. Use the share of a 20ft from the calculator as the trigger to compare quotes.
Small share of a 20ft
LCL is usually the natural fit. You pay per W/M and share the box, but expect consolidation and deconsolidation time at each end.
Around half a 20ft
Ask for both quotes. Multiply your W/M by the LCL rate and compare it with the all-in 20ft price, including terminal charges.
Most of a 20ft or more
A full container often wins on cost per carton and handling. It is also sealed at origin, which cuts touch points and damage risk.
- Compare door-to-door totals, not just the ocean rate per W/M.
- Add the destination charges LCL carries per W/M, such as deconsolidation and warehouse handling.
- Check the transit time, because LCL waits for other shippers’ cargo before it sails.
Other Ways Teams Use a CBM Calculator
Warehouse space planning
Convert inbound cartons into cubic meters to estimate pallet positions and shelf space before the truck arrives.
Household moves
Movers quote international moves by CBM. Add each box and furniture item as a line, measured at its widest points.
Packaging redesign
Test a smaller carton in the calculator. Saving 2 cm on each side can cut the CBM, and the bill, of a large order.
Six CBM Mistakes That Change the Quote
Using product size, not carton size
2 cm of packaging per side turns a 60 × 40 × 35 cm product into a 64 × 44 × 39 cm carton: 0.110 CBM instead of 0.084, about 31% more.
Mixing units
One supplier line in inches and another in centimeters silently breaks the total. Convert every line first.
Rounding too early
An 18 × 12 × 12 in carton is 0.0425 CBM. Rounded to 0.04 first, 400 cartons total 16.00 CBM instead of 16.99.
Forgetting the pallet
A palletized load is billed on the pallet footprint and total height, not on the cartons alone.
Assuming 100% container use
A container is never full to the last liter. Plan on a usable share and confirm with a load plan.
Ignoring the minimum charge
Small LCL shipments are often billed at a minimum of 1 W/M, even when the cargo is only 0.3 CBM.
Related Freight and Warehouse Calculators
See all free logistics tools, or read how Locad handles warehousing and ecommerce fulfillment once your cartons land.
CBM Calculator Questions
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