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Freight Volumetric Weight Calculator

Chargeable weight for a shipment of cartons by air (1:6), road (1:3) and sea LCL (1:1), next to sending the same cartons by express courier.

Updated · By Niraj Kumar · 8 sources

Box

Measured inMeasured in
cm
cm
cm

Measure the packed box at its widest points, bulges included. UPS, FedEx and USPS round every fractional inch up.

kg

Parcels are rated box by box; freight on the whole shipment.

Compare

ServicesServices
Least DIM penaltyAir cargoBilled 40 kg for 30 kg of actual weight
Air freight (IATA)
40 kg
10 kg over actual weight · DIM weight
Road freight (LTL / groupage)
80 kg
50 kg over actual weight · DIM weight
Sea freight (LCL)
1,000 kg
970 kg over actual weight · Tariff minimum
Chargeable weight for this shipment, in kg, lightest firstHover or focus a row for the DIM and actual weight behind it. Services billed in the other unit are converted.
  1. 1Air freight (IATA)÷ 6,00040 kg
  2. 2Road freight (LTL / groupage)÷ 3,00080 kg
  3. 3Sea freight (LCL)÷ 1,0001,000 kg
Service by service, in each one's billing unit
ServiceDivisorDIM weightActualBillable, shipmentBilled on
Air freight (IATA)6,00040 kg30 kg40 kgDIM weight
Road freight (LTL / groupage)3,00080 kg30 kg80 kgDIM weight
Sea freight (LCL)1,000240 kg30 kg1,000 kgTariff minimum

How do carriers calculate dimensional weight?

Freight is charged on the greater of gross weight and volume converted at a density ratio: 167 kg per m³ for air (cm³ ÷ 6000), 333 kg per m³ for European road freight (÷ 3000) and 1,000 kg per m³ for sea LCL. The whole shipment is rated at once, not carton by carton.

DIM weight = L × W × H ÷ divisor; billable = max(actual, DIM, surcharge minimum)

This page uses the same method as the Shipping DIM Weight Comparison Calculator, which explains each term and assumption in full.

Ten 40 × 30 × 20 cm cartons of 3 kg each
ServiceDivisorDIM weight, shipmentBilled at, shipment
Air freight (IATA)6,00040 kg40 kg
Road freight (LTL / groupage)3,00080 kg80 kg
Sea freight (LCL)1,000240 kg1,000 kg
DHL Express Worldwide5,00050 kg50 kg

Worked example

20 cartons of 60 × 40 × 40 cm, 8 kg each, shipped via Road freight (LTL / groupage).

  1. 1Sides as rated: 60 × 40 × 40 cm
  2. 2Volume: 96,000 cm³ × 20 cartons = 1,920,000 cm³
  3. 3DIM weight: 1,920,000 ÷ 3,000 = 640.00, rounded up to 640 kg
  4. 4Actual weight: 160 kg

Billed at 640 kg (DIM weight).

Frequently asked questions

What is a revenue ton in sea freight?

One cubic metre or 1,000 kg, whichever the shipment's figure is larger, known as W/M (weight or measure). LCL is priced per revenue ton, usually with a one-ton minimum, so a small consignment pays for a full cubic metre.

Is US LTL freight priced by volumetric weight?

Not usually. US less-than-truckload freight is priced by NMFC freight class, which is set by density in pounds per cubic foot. Use the freight class calculator for that. The 1:3 road ratio here is the European groupage convention.

Sources

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