Volumetric Weight Calculator
Work out the chargeable weight for air, road and sea.
Volumetric weight is a calculated value that expresses the space a cargo occupies in kilograms: width × length × height in centimetres, divided by a divisor specific to the mode. The reference divisor in air is 6000, in express courier networks 5000, and in road part loads commonly 3000. The invoice is based on the greater of actual gross weight and volumetric weight.
How it is calculated
Formula: volumetric weight (kg) = (width × length × height, cm) ÷ divisor. Chargeable weight = the greater of actual gross weight and volumetric weight. Example: 5 cartons of 120 × 80 × 90 cm, each weighing 80 kg; total gross 400 kg. Volume per package 864,000 cm³. Air (6000): 864,000 ÷ 6000 = 144 kg per package, 720 kg for five; actual weight is 400 kg, so the chargeable weight is 720 kg. Express (5000): 172.8 kg per package → 864 kg. Road (3000): 288 kg per package → 1,440 kg. The same cargo gives three different chargeable weights in three modes. The comparison is always made at shipment level: first the volumetric weights of all packages are added, then compared with the total gross weight.
The divisor is really a density threshold
The divisor sets the minimum number of kilograms a carrier charges for one cubic metre of space. Since 1 m³ = 1,000,000 cm³, the divisor converts directly into a density threshold: a divisor of 6000 means about 167 kg per cubic metre, 5000 means 200 kg, and 3000 means about 333 kg. If your cargo's density is above the threshold, actual weight is invoiced; below it, volumetric weight. If a 1 m³ package weighs 150 kg, in air (threshold 167 kg) it is charged on volume; if the same package weighs 300 kg, on weight. Tighter packing therefore reaches the invoice only as far as it raises density above the threshold; if you are already above it, reducing the volume does not change the chargeable weight. For the definition of the term, see what is volumetric weight.
- Divisor 6000 ≈ 167 kg/m³
- Divisor 5000 = 200 kg/m³
- Divisor 3000 ≈ 333 kg/m³
Is it 6000 or 5000 in air?
In air, the established IATA divisor is 6000; in express courier networks 5000 is a common standard and produces a higher chargeable weight for the same box. Which divisor applies depends on the tariff and the agreement — ask for it in writing in the quote, because the difference between 6000 and 5000 is about twenty per cent on bulky cargo. Two more points: edge measurements are usually rounded to the nearest centimetre, and in most tariffs the chargeable weight is rounded up to the next half-kilogram step, so 40.1 kg is invoiced as 40.5 kg. The aircraft type and pallet height also impose a separate physical limit; even if the calculation works, a tall package may not be accepted. See air freight.
- IATA reference: 6000
- Express courier networks: 5000
- In most tariffs the chargeable weight is rounded up to 0.5 kg
In road freight the divisor is not the only measure
The most common divisor in road part loads is 3000; the matching conversion is also written 1 m³ ≈ 333 kg. Depending on the carrier and the route, other divisors such as 4000, or an entirely different basis — the loading metre (LDM) — may be used. With LDM, the charge comes from the length the cargo occupies on the trailer floor; the conversion common in the industry is 1 LDM ≈ 1,750 kg, and a 120 × 80 cm euro pallet takes about 0.4 LDM. For non-stackable cargo spread across the floor, the LDM calculation can come out dearer than the volume calculation. Because the internal length of a standard curtain-sided trailer is roughly 13.6 metres, in most part loads space runs out before kilograms do. Asking which basis the tariff uses is more decisive than arguing about the divisor. See road freight.
- Common divisor: 3000 (1 m³ ≈ 333 kg)
- Alternative basis: LDM (loading metre); 1 LDM ≈ 1,750 kg, euro pallet ≈ 0.4 LDM
- Internal length of a curtain-sided trailer ≈ 13.6 m
At sea there is no divisor, there is the revenue ton
At sea the volumetric weight divisor is not used. In LCL the comparison is made directly between cubic metres and tonnes: 1 CBM is taken as 1,000 kg and the greater is invoiced as the revenue ton (R/T). This is a very high threshold, equal to a divisor of 1000; since almost all general commercial cargo stays below it, an LCL invoice in practice comes from volume. In FCL there is neither a divisor nor a revenue ton: the charge is per container and two limits bind you at once — the container's internal volume and its maximum payload; whichever fills first decides. For the cubic-metre calculation, see the CBM calculator; for the difference between the modes, see FCL and LCL and sea freight.
- LCL: cubic metres ↔ tonnes, the greater applies
- Equivalence: 1 CBM = 1,000 kg
- FCL: charge per container; the limits are volume and maximum payload, there is no volumetric weight
Frequently asked questions
What exactly is chargeable weight?
It is the greater of actual gross weight and volumetric weight. The carrier calculates both and applies its tariff to the greater. For a cargo weighing 400 kg whose volumetric weight comes to 720 kg, the invoice is made out on 720 kg. For light but bulky cargo, therefore, the scale reading alone means nothing; you need to give the dimensions as well when asking for a quote.
Does 6000 or 5000 apply to my shipment?
It depends on the tariff. For general cargo carried on an air waybill, the common practice is the IATA reference of 6000; in express courier networks 5000 is common. The difference between the two raises the chargeable weight of bulky cargo by about twenty per cent. Ask for the divisor to be stated explicitly in the quote so that there is no argument later.
How many kilograms does one cubic metre count as in road freight?
The common assumption is about 333 kilograms, which matches a divisor of 3000. Some carriers use a divisor of 4000, and some apply the loading metre (LDM) basis instead of cubic metres; on the LDM side the common conversion is 1 LDM ≈ 1,750 kg. For non-stackable cargo spread across the floor, the LDM calculation can come out higher than the volume calculation. When asking for a quote, asking which basis applies is more decisive than debating the divisor value.
Is volumetric weight calculated in sea freight too?
Volumetric weight with a divisor is not calculated. In LCL, cubic metres and tonnes are compared directly and the greater counts as the revenue ton; the equivalence is 1 CBM = 1,000 kg. Because this threshold is far higher than in air, volume mostly dominates for general commercial cargo. In FCL the charge is per container and the idea of volumetric weight does not come into it; the limit is drawn by the container's internal volume and its maximum payload.
Does reducing the packaging bring down the invoice?
Only if your density is below the divisor's threshold. In air with a divisor of 6000, the threshold is about 167 kilograms per cubic metre; for cargo below it, reducing the volume directly lowers the chargeable weight. If your cargo is already denser than the threshold, the invoice comes from actual weight and packaging optimisation does not change the charge, it only makes handling easier.