CBM to KG Converter
Convert freight volume and weight between the units your suppliers and forwarders use, and see what a quote really means when it says CBM to kg.
Convert Freight Volume and Weight Units
Every factor below is exact, and results update as you type.
1. Volume
- Cubic metres (CBM)
- —
- Cubic feet (ft³)
- —
- Litres (L)
- —
- Cubic inches (in³)
- —
- Cubic centimetres (cm³)
- —
2. Weight
- Kilograms (kg)
- —
- Pounds (lb)
- —
- Metric tonnes (t)
- —
- US short tons
- —
- UK long tons
- —
3. Dimensions to CBM
- Volume in CBM
- —
- Volume in ft³
- —
- Volume in litres
- —
One item at a time. For carton quantities, shipment totals and container fit, use the CBM calculator.
4. CBM to kg bridge
Everything runs in your browser. No figures are sent to a server, stored, or shared.
CBM to KG Is Not a Unit Conversion
Metres cubed measure space. Kilograms measure mass. Nothing converts one into the other without a third number, and that third number is density.
Volume has no weight
A cubic metre of down jackets and a cubic metre of ceramic tiles occupy identical space and weigh nothing like each other.
Density is the bridge
Density is weight divided by volume, in kg per CBM. Once you know it, CBM and kg convert cleanly in both directions.
Carriers substitute a factor
Instead of measuring your density, a carrier applies an assumed one such as 167 kg per CBM. That is volumetric weight.
| What people mean by "CBM to kg" | Formula | What the answer is | When to use it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Volumetric weight | CBM × assumed kg per CBM | A billing estimate, not a real weight | Estimating an air freight or courier charge before you have a quote |
| Actual density | actual kg ÷ actual CBM | A real physical property of your cargo | Working out whether your goods are weight-heavy or space-heavy |
| Chargeable weight | greater of actual kg and volumetric kg | The number that gets multiplied by the rate | Checking an air freight invoice line |
| Revenue tonne (W/M) | greater of CBM and metric tonnes | The billing unit for most LCL sea freight | Comparing LCL quotes from different forwarders |
| Literal water density | CBM × 1000 | The weight if the cargo were water | Almost never in freight; it is a physics answer to a logistics question |
The trap in one line
If you search this question you will find converters that answer with 1000 kg per CBM. That is the density of fresh water and it has nothing to do with your cargo.
Volume Conversion Factors
These factors are exact by definition. One inch is defined as exactly 25.4 mm, and every figure below follows from that.
| From | To | Multiply by | Exact? | Worked check |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cubic metres (CBM) | Cubic feet | 35.3146667214886 | Yes, derived from 1 ft = 0.3048 m | 1.14 CBM = 40.258720 ft³ |
| Cubic feet | Cubic metres (CBM) | 0.028316846592 | Yes, exact | 100 ft³ = 2.8316847 CBM |
| Cubic metres (CBM) | Litres | 1000 | Yes, exact by SI definition | 1.14 CBM = 1140 L |
| Litres | Cubic metres (CBM) | 0.001 | Yes, exact | 2500 L = 2.5 CBM |
| Cubic inches | Cubic metres (CBM) | 0.000016387064 | Yes, derived from 1 in = 25.4 mm | 10,000 in³ = 0.16387064 CBM |
| Cubic metres (CBM) | Cubic inches | 61023.7440947323 | Yes, exact | 0.5 CBM = 30,511.872 in³ |
| Cubic centimetres | Cubic metres (CBM) | 0.000001 | Yes, exact | 1,140,000 cm³ = 1.14 CBM |
| Cubic feet | Litres | 28.316846592 | Yes, exact | 40 ft³ = 1132.6739 L |
Freight paperwork usually rounds 35.3146667 to 35.315 or 35.31. On a 40 ft³ figure that rounding shifts the CBM result by less than 0.0002, but it compounds on large volumes.
Weight Conversion Factors
The pound is defined as exactly 0.45359237 kg by international agreement, so every weight factor here is exact rather than measured.
| From | To | Multiply by | Definition | Worked check |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kilograms | Pounds | 2.20462262184878 | Reciprocal of 0.45359237 | 210 kg = 462.97075 lb |
| Pounds | Kilograms | 0.45359237 | Exact, international avoirdupois pound | 500 lb = 226.796185 kg |
| Metric tonnes | Kilograms | 1000 | Exact by SI definition | 2.5 t = 2500 kg |
| Metric tonnes | Pounds | 2204.62262184878 | 1000 ÷ 0.45359237 | 2.5 t = 5511.5566 lb |
| US short tons | Kilograms | 907.18474 | Exactly 2000 lb | 3 short tons = 2721.55422 kg |
| UK long tons | Kilograms | 1016.0469088 | Exactly 2240 lb | 3 long tons = 3048.1407264 kg |
| Metric tonnes | US short tons | 1.10231131092439 | 1000 ÷ 907.18474 | 10 t = 11.023113 short tons |
| Grams | Kilograms | 0.001 | Exact by SI definition | 850 g = 0.85 kg |
Three different tons
A metric tonne is 1000 kg, a US short ton is 907.18 kg, and a UK long ton is 1016.05 kg. A quote that just says "ton" is ambiguous, so ask which one before you compare prices.
Common CBM Values at a Glance
The volume columns are fixed conversions. The two weight columns are billing conventions applied to that volume, not real weights.
| CBM | Cubic feet | Litres | Volumetric kg at 166.67 | Volumetric kg at 200 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.1 | 3.5315 | 100 | 16.67 | 20 |
| 0.5 | 17.657 | 500 | 83.33 | 100 |
| 1 | 35.315 | 1,000 | 166.67 | 200 |
| 1.14 | 40.259 | 1,140 | 190.00 | 228 |
| 2 | 70.629 | 2,000 | 333.33 | 400 |
| 5 | 176.573 | 5,000 | 833.33 | 1,000 |
| 10 | 353.147 | 10,000 | 1,666.67 | 2,000 |
| 15 | 529.720 | 15,000 | 2,500.00 | 3,000 |
| 25 | 882.867 | 25,000 | 4,166.67 | 5,000 |
Cubic feet values are rounded to three decimals from the exact factor. Use the converter above when you need more precision than the table shows.
One Crate, Two Different Billing Answers
A homewares seller ships one crate of ceramic tableware from Shanghai to Los Angeles, comparing an air quote against an LCL quote.
Filled fields
- Dimension unitCentimetres
- Length × width × height120 × 100 × 95 cm
- Actual shipment weight210 kg
- Volumetric factor166.67 kg per CBM
What the numbers say
The crate is denser than the air freight assumption but far denser than one tonne per CBM, so air bills on actual weight while sea bills on volume.
Same crate, same measurements, two different billing bases. That is why the unit on a quote matters as much as the price.
| Output | Working | Result | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Volume in CBM | 120 × 100 × 95 ÷ 1,000,000 | 1.14 CBM | The base figure everything else comes from |
| Volume in cubic feet | 1.14 ÷ 0.028316846592 | 40.2587 ft³ | Useful if the forwarder quotes imperial |
| Volume in litres | 1.14 × 1000 | 1,140 L | Matches how some warehouse systems store cube |
| Actual weight in lb | 210 × 2.20462262 | 462.97 lb | For a US-facing rate card |
| Volumetric weight | 1.14 × 166.6667 | 190.00 kg | Lower than actual weight, so it does not drive the charge |
| Actual density | 210 ÷ 1.14 | 184.21 kg per CBM | Denser than the 166.67 assumption |
| Air chargeable weight | max(210, 190) | 210 kg | Air bills on real weight for this crate |
| LCL revenue tonnes | max(1.14 CBM, 0.21 t) | 1.14 R/T | Sea bills on volume for this crate |
Where 167 kg and the Revenue Tonne Come From
Both are widely used industry conventions rather than universal rules. Your carrier or forwarder contract is what actually decides.
167 kg per CBM
1,000,000 cm³ divided by a 6000 divisor gives 166.67 kg, commonly rounded up to 167 in air freight quoting.
200 kg per CBM
The same arithmetic with a 5000 divisor. Common on express and courier rate cards, and it produces a higher charge.
Revenue tonne on LCL
Sea LCL is commonly billed on whichever is greater, CBM or metric tonnes. It is often written on quotes as W/M.
Your contract overrides
Divisors, minimums and rounding all vary by carrier, lane and service. Read the rate card before you plan around any of these.
| Divisor | kg per CBM | Typical context | Effect on your bill | Status of the figure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4000 | 250 | Some domestic and regional parcel rate cards | Highest volumetric weight of the three | Widely used convention, varies by carrier |
| 5000 | 200 | International express and courier | Higher charge on bulky light cargo | Widely used convention, varies by carrier |
| 6000 | 166.67 | Air freight and economy services | Lower charge than a 5000 divisor | Widely used convention, varies by carrier |
| 1 CBM = 1 tonne | 1000 | Sea LCL revenue tonne comparison | Volume wins unless cargo is very dense | Common LCL billing basis, confirm on the quote |
Because divisors differ by carrier, service and lane, this page does not name any carrier as using a particular divisor. Take the figure from the rate card in front of you.
How to Find Your Own Density Instead of Guessing
Your real density beats any convention: it tells you in advance which billing basis wins on each lane.
Measure the packed carton
Use outside dimensions of the sealed, palletised carton, including packaging and any overhang.
Weigh the same carton
Gross weight on a calibrated scale, with the pallet if the pallet ships with it.
Divide weight by volume
Kilograms divided by CBM gives density in kg per CBM. Panel four above does this for you.
Compare against the divisor
Density above the carrier factor means you bill on actual weight. Below it means volume drives the charge.
Record it per SKU
Density rarely changes for a given SKU and carton spec, so store it once and reuse it on every quote.
Recheck after packaging changes
A new box size or a change of void fill moves the density and can flip which basis you bill on.
The one number worth knowing
If your density sits close to the carrier factor, small packaging changes flip your shipment between weight-billed and volume-billed. That is where packaging redesign pays for itself.
Which Unit Turns Up on Which Document
The same shipment gets described in four unit systems. Knowing which document uses which saves a lot of re-keying.
| Document or source | Volume unit | Weight unit | What to watch for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supplier carton spec from an overseas factory | cm dimensions, CBM totals | kg | Product dimensions and carton dimensions are often confused |
| US supplier or 3PL packing list | Inches, cubic feet | lb | Cubic feet is sometimes written CFT or CU FT |
| Air waybill | cm dimensions | kg, chargeable weight | Chargeable weight may differ from the gross weight line |
| LCL sea freight quote | CBM | Metric tonnes, revenue tonnes | W/M means whichever of the two is greater |
| Warehouse management system | Litres or cm³ per SKU | g or kg | Litres and CBM differ by a factor of 1000 |
| Bulk commodity contract | Rarely stated | Short tons or long tons | An unqualified "ton" needs clarifying before you price it |
Planning a Shipment Rather Than Converting a Number
This page converts units and explains what the CBM to kg question really asks. If you need shipment totals, container fit or a carrier comparison, these tools do that work.
CBM Calculator
Carton quantities, total shipment CBM, and how much fits in a 20ft, 40ft or 40HC container with utilisation.
Volumetric Weight Calculator
Compare express, air, road and sea divisors side by side from one set of carton dimensions.
Chargeable Weight Calculator
Work out the billed weight across mixed carton profiles and both common comparison methods.
All Free Tools
Calculators and templates for freight, fulfilment, inventory and cross-border ecommerce operations.
CBM to KG Converter Questions
Shipping Freight Across Borders?
Talk to Locad about freight, warehousing and fulfilment so your cube and your weight stop being surprises on the invoice.