Chargeable Weight Calculator
Find out whether your air or sea shipment is charged on actual weight or volumetric weight - instantly
What is chargeable weight?
Chargeable weight is the weight that a carrier uses to calculate your freight cost. It is the higher of actual weight and volumetric (dimensional) weight.
Air Freight - Volumetric Weight
Airlines divide the cubic centimeters of your shipment by 5000 to get volumetric weight in kilograms. This divisor (5000) is the IATA standard used by most airlines and air freight forwarders.
Formula
Volumetric Weight (kg) = (L cm × W cm × H cm) ÷ 5000
Sea LCL - W/M Ton
For LCL sea freight, carriers charge per W/M ton - the higher of 1 tonne (1,000 kg) or 1 CBM. Dense cargo charges on weight; light, bulky cargo charges on volume.
Formula
Chargeable Weight (kg) = max(Actual kg, CBM × 1000)
Why 5,000?
The 5,000 divisor is the IATA standard for air cargo. It means 1 CBM = 200 kg chargeable weight. Some express couriers use 6,000 (1 CBM = 167 kg). Always verify with your carrier which divisor applies to your shipment.
Air vs Sea LCL - chargeable weight rules
Understanding how each mode calculates chargeable weight helps you choose the right carrier and packaging strategy
| Feature | Air Freight | Sea LCL |
|---|---|---|
| row1label | row1air | row1sea |
| row2label | row2air | row2sea |
| row3label | row3air | row3sea |
| row4label | row4air | row4sea |
| row5label | row5air | row5sea |
| row6label | row6air | row6sea |
These are standard industry rules. Individual carriers and forwarders may apply different divisors or minimum charges.
How to reduce your chargeable weight
Small packaging improvements can significantly lower volumetric weight and cut freight costs
Right-size your packaging
Oversized boxes inflate volumetric weight. Use the smallest box that safely fits your product.
Use flat-pack or disassembled shipping
Furniture shipped disassembled can cut volumetric weight by 40–60%.
Consolidate shipments
Combining small shipments reduces per-unit overhead and may shift from LCL to FCL pricing.
Use vacuum packaging
Textiles and foam products can be vacuum-compressed, dramatically reducing height and CBM.
Check the density crossover
For air, cargo above 200 kg/m³ pays on actual weight. Focus packaging effort on light, bulky items.
Negotiate your divisor
High-volume shippers can sometimes negotiate a higher divisor (6,000), reducing volumetric weight by up to 17%.
Chargeable Weight - Frequently Asked Questions
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