CBM Calculator

Find shipment volume in cubic metres (CBM) and how much of a 20 ft or 40 ft container it fills.

Carton length	60 cm
Carton width	40 cm
Carton height	40 cm
Number of cartons	120
Weight per carton	12 kg

Carton length

Carton width

Carton height

Number of cartons

Weight per carton

Total volume

11.52 CBM

0.096 m³ per carton; 406.8 ft³ in all, 1,440 kg. Freight bills by the greater of weight and volume: for sea LCL, 1 CBM is usually treated as 1,000 kg.

Container fill (usable volume)

Container	Usable volume	Fill
20 ft standard	≈ 28 m³	41%
40 ft standard	≈ 58 m³	20%
40 ft high cube	≈ 68 m³	17%

About the CBM Calculator

CBM is length × width × height in metres. Shipping lines quote internal container volumes of about 33 m³ (20 ft), 67 m³ (40 ft) and 76 m³ (40 ft high cube), but boxes rarely pack perfectly, so plan on roughly 28, 58 and 68 m³ of usable space. For less-than-container (LCL) shipments, the charge is per CBM or per tonne, whichever is greater.

The formula

CBM = L × W × H (cm) ÷ 1,000,000 × cartons

Worked example

Example: Total volume = 16.611 CBM

Inputs: Carton length: 66 cm; Carton width: 44 cm; Carton height: 44 cm; Number of cartons: 130; Weight per carton: 13 kg.
Formula: CBM = L × W × H (cm) ÷ 1,000,000 × cartons
Result: Total volume = 16.611 CBM

Questions people ask

What is a revenue ton?

The greater of the shipment's weight in tonnes and its volume in m³.

How many pallets fit?

About 10 standard pallets in a 20 ft and 20–21 in a 40 ft container on the floor.