Free Logistics Tool

CBM to KG Converter

In freight, 1 CBM is billed as a set weight that depends on the mode. Enter any CBM or kg below, pick the mode on your quote, and see the weight or volume you will be charged for.

Sea LCL1,000 kg1 CBM = 1 tonne (W/M)

Road333 kgDivisor 3000

Air166.67 kgDivisor 6000, quoted as 167

Express courier200 kgDivisor 5000

Convert CBM to KG by Freight Mode

The result is the weight a carrier bills that volume as, not what your goods physically weigh.

Convert

Volume in CBM

Freight mode

Actual shipment weight (kg) (optional)

1 CBM by sea (LCL) 1,000 kg 2,204.62 lb · 1 CBM = 1 tonne on the W/M ratio

Chargeable weight—

Actual density—

LCL revenue tonnes—

Volume in cubic feet—

The same figure in every mode

Sea LCL (1,000 kg per CBM): —
Road (333.33 kg per CBM): —
Air (166.67 kg per CBM): —
Express courier (200 kg per CBM): —
US parcel, DIM 139 (199.14 kg per CBM): —

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The answer by mode

What 1 CBM Weighs in Each Freight Mode

Carriers do not weigh a cubic metre. Each mode applies its own ratio, and you pay on whichever is higher, that ratio or your real weight.

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.

Each mode sets a ratio

Sea LCL uses 1,000 kg per CBM, road commonly 333, express 200 and air 166.67. That ratio is the "CBM to kg" answer on a quote.

The higher figure bills

Dense cargo bills on its real weight. Light, bulky cargo bills on the ratio. Your density decides which side of the line you sit on.

Mode	Ratio used	1 CBM counts as	0.5 CBM	10 CBM	Where you see it
Sea LCL	1 CBM = 1 metric tonne (W/M)	1,000 kg	500 kg	10,000 kg	LCL quotes, priced per revenue tonne
Road	Divisor 3000 (cm³ per kg)	333.33 kg	166.67 kg	3,333.33 kg	Road groupage rate cards, common in Europe
Air	Divisor 6000 (cm³ per kg)	166.67 kg	83.33 kg	1,666.67 kg	Air waybills and forwarder air quotes
Express courier	Divisor 5000 (cm³ per kg)	200 kg	100 kg	2,000 kg	International express and courier rate cards
US parcel	DIM divisor 139 (in³ per lb)	199.14 kg (439.02 lb)	99.57 kg	1,991.36 kg	US domestic parcel rate cards, per package
US LTL truckload	No fixed ratio	Not applicable	Not applicable	Not applicable	Priced by freight class, which is largely set by density in lb per ft³

The trap in one line

1,000 kg per CBM is the right figure for sea LCL and the wrong one for air, road or courier. Read the mode on the quote before you trust any number, including this page's.

Quick reference

CBM to KG Chart for Common Volumes

Each weight column applies that mode's billing ratio to the volume. None of them is the real weight of your goods.

CBM	Sea LCL kg	Road kg	Air kg	Express kg	Cubic feet
0.1 CBM	100	33.33	16.67	20	3.531
0.2 CBM	200	66.67	33.33	40	7.063
0.25 CBM	250	83.33	41.67	50	8.829
0.5 CBM	500	166.67	83.33	100	17.657
1 CBM	1,000	333.33	166.67	200	35.315
1.5 CBM	1,500	500	250	300	52.972
2 CBM	2,000	666.67	333.33	400	70.629
3 CBM	3,000	1,000	500	600	105.944
5 CBM	5,000	1,666.67	833.33	1,000	176.573
10 CBM	10,000	3,333.33	1,666.67	2,000	353.147
15 CBM	15,000	5,000	2,500	3,000	529.72
20 CBM	20,000	6,666.67	3,333.33	4,000	706.293
25 CBM	25,000	8,333.33	4,166.67	5,000	882.867

KG to CBM, the other way round

Weight	Sea LCL CBM	Road CBM	Air CBM	Express CBM	Pounds
1 kg	0.001	0.003	0.006	0.005	2.2
10 kg	0.01	0.03	0.06	0.05	22.05
50 kg	0.05	0.15	0.3	0.25	110.23
100 kg	0.1	0.3	0.6	0.5	220.46
200 kg	0.2	0.6	1.2	1	440.92
500 kg	0.5	1.5	3	2.5	1,102.31
1,000 kg	1	3	6	5	2,204.62
2,000 kg	2	6	12	10	4,409.25
5,000 kg	5	15	30	25	11,023.11

Road uses 333.33 kg per CBM and air uses 166.67. Some quotes round these to 333 and 167, which moves results by a fraction of a percent.

More Conversions: Volume, Weight and Dimensions

Every factor below is exact, and results update as you type.

1. Volume

Volume value

Unit

Cubic metres (CBM): —
Cubic feet (ft³): —
Litres (L): —
Cubic inches (in³): —
Cubic centimetres (cm³): —

2. Weight

Weight value (optional)

Unit (optional)

Kilograms (kg): —
Pounds (lb): —
Metric tonnes (t): —
US short tons: —
UK long tons: —

3. Dimensions to CBM

Dimension unit (optional)

Length cm

Width cm

Height cm

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.

Worked example

One Crate, Four Different Billing Answers

A homewares seller ships one crate of ceramic tableware from Shanghai to Los Angeles, comparing sea, air, road and express quotes.

Filled fields

Dimension unitCentimetres
Length × width × height120 × 100 × 95 cm
Actual shipment weight210 kg
Freight modes comparedSea, air, road, express

What the numbers say

The crate is denser than the air ratio of 166.67 kg per CBM but lighter than the express and road ratios. So air bills on actual weight, and every other mode bills on volume.

Same crate, same measurements, four different billed weights. 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
Air 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
Express chargeable weight	max(210, 1.14 × 200)	228 kg	Express bills on volume for this crate
Road chargeable weight	max(210, 1.14 × 333.33)	380 kg	Road bills on volume, and by the widest margin
LCL revenue tonnes	max(1.14 CBM, 0.21 t)	1.14 R/T	Sea bills on volume for this crate

Conventions

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
3000	333.33	Road groupage, common in Europe	Highest volumetric weight of the divisors here	Common convention, varies by carrier
139 in³ per lb	199.14	US domestic parcel, per package	Close to the 5000 divisor	Widely published US parcel divisor, confirm on your account
4000	250	Some domestic and regional parcel rate cards	Higher than express or air	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.

Exact factors

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.

Exact factors

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.

Getting it right

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. Add actual weight to the converter at the top and it does this for you.

Compare against the mode ratio

Density above the ratio for your mode 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.

Units in the wild

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

Next step

Planning a Shipment Rather Than Converting a Number

This page converts CBM to kg by mode and handles the unit conversions around it. 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.

Dimensional Weight Calculator

US parcel DIM weight from box dimensions in inches, with the billed weight per package.

Freight Class Calculator

For US LTL, where density in lb per cubic foot sets the class instead of a kg per CBM ratio.

All Free Tools

Calculators and templates for freight, fulfilment, inventory and cross-border ecommerce operations.

FAQ

CBM to KG Converter Questions

It depends on the freight mode, because in shipping CBM to kg is a billing ratio rather than a physical conversion. Sea LCL treats 1 CBM as 1,000 kg, road freight commonly uses 333 kg, air freight uses 166.67 kg (often rounded to 167) and express courier uses 200 kg. Your real cargo may weigh more or less than any of these.

For LCL sea freight, 1 CBM is treated as 1,000 kg, which is one metric tonne. Forwarders bill on whichever is greater, the volume in CBM or the weight in tonnes, written W/M on the quote. So 1 CBM of light goods bills as 1 revenue tonne, while 1,500 kg packed into 1 CBM bills as 1.5.

It comes from the volumetric divisor of 6000 that is widely used in air freight. One cubic metre is 1,000,000 cubic centimetres, and 1,000,000 divided by 6000 is 166.67, rounded to 167 kg per CBM in day-to-day quoting. It is a billing convention, not a physical fact. Carriers using a divisor of 5000 work to 200 kg per CBM instead, so check the divisor on the rate card.

Not as a physical conversion. CBM is a unit of volume and a kilogram is a unit of mass, so the two only connect through density, which is weight divided by volume. In freight the phrase means volumetric weight: CBM multiplied by the ratio for the mode, such as 1,000 for sea LCL or 166.67 for air. Add your actual weight above to see your real density too.

It depends on the mode. On the sea LCL ratio, 1,000 kg equals 1 CBM. At the road factor of 333 kg per CBM it equals 3 CBM, at the air factor of 166.67 it equals 6 CBM, and at the express factor of 200 it equals 5 CBM. These are billing equivalents. The real volume of your cargo only comes from measuring it.

On the sea LCL ratio, 1 kg equals 0.001 CBM. By road it is 0.003 CBM, by air 0.006 CBM and by express courier 0.005 CBM. These are billing equivalents rather than real sizes, because the space a kilogram takes depends on what it is. A kilogram of feathers occupies far more room than a kilogram of steel.

One CBM is a cube 1 metre long, 1 metre wide and 1 metre high, which is 1,000 litres or about 35.315 cubic feet. In US terms each side is about 3.28 feet. A standard 48 by 40 inch pallet stacked 39 inches high holds about 1.23 CBM of cargo.

One cubic metre equals 35.3146667 cubic feet. The factor is exact rather than approximate, because one international foot is defined as exactly 0.3048 metres, so one cubic foot is exactly 0.028316846592 cubic metres. Most freight paperwork rounds it to 35.315 or 35.31, which is close enough for quoting but drifts on very large volumes.

No. The widely used LCL convention is that you are billed on whichever is greater, the shipment volume in CBM or the shipment weight in metric tonnes, sometimes written as W/M or weight or measure. That means a dense shipment can bill on tonnes and a light bulky shipment can bill on CBM. Some forwarders apply a different ratio or a minimum charge, so the booking confirmation decides.

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