Measure the outside carton
CBM is cubic metres. Measure the packed outside length, width and height, including packaging that extends beyond the carton. Use the same unit for all dimensions in one entry and record the number of cartons of that size. Product dimensions inside a larger shipping box will understate the shipment.
When dimensions are in centimetres, divide length × width × height by 1,000,000. Multiply by carton quantity. The CBM tool also accepts millimetres, metres and inches; switching units converts the filled dimensions so the physical shipment stays the same.
Add mixed-carton CBM
| Packed dimensions | Cartons | Volume |
|---|---|---|
| 40 × 30 × 30 cm | 10 | 0.36 m³ |
| 60 × 40 × 40 cm | 5 | 0.48 m³ |
| Shipment total | 15 | 0.84 m³ |
The first carton is 0.036 m³ and the second is 0.096 m³. Keep each carton type on its own row; the calculator shows each subtotal and exports the original dimensions, unit and quantity with the total.
Check dimensional weight
Volume and chargeable weight answer different questions. For a synthetic 60 × 40 × 40 cm carton with an entered divisor of 5,000 cm³/kg, dimensional weight is 19.2 kg. If actual gross weight is 10 kg, the comparison uses 19.2 kg before the chosen upward rounding. At a 1 kg rounding step, the estimate is 20 kg per carton.
The divisor and rounding step are examples, not a live carrier tariff. Confirm the carrier’s current service, minimum-charge and rounding rules. Enter every identical carton’s actual gross weight in the tool’s per-carton field.
Check the separate loading limits
A container’s internal volume is not a guarantee that a shipment fits. The floor arrangement, upright carton height, allowed layers, door opening, cargo weight and allowance may each reduce capacity. Loaded pallets also consume height and floor space. Use the equipment supplier’s actual dimensions and limits rather than treating an editable example preset as a booking specification.
- Identical cartons: compare one carton size across container types.
- Mixed cartons: trial several upright carton sizes and review unplaced quantities.
- Loaded pallets: check a single-level pallet layout and door height.
Mixed loading uses three greedy trials with same-size vertical columns; it does not guarantee an optimum or model every stacking combination. The carton and pallet estimators are geometric aids, not an approved restraint, axle-load or cargo-safety plan.
Keep a reviewable calculation
Download the calculation CSV with dimensions, quantities and settings. Keep the carrier or supplier specification alongside it and recheck after a carton, gross weight or pallet height changes. A freight-cost allocation distributes fees you enter across lines; it does not fetch a shipping quote or determine duty and tax.
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