Freight volume converter
Convert shipping volume between CBM, cubic feet, volumetric weight and whole containers.
That's about the same as a delivery van. That is roughly 8.333 europallets of cargo.
What it means
How much space is that?
Container figures are usable internal volume, not the nominal size. Real loading rarely exceeds 85% of it once pallets and packaging are counted.
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Learn
Three things worth knowing
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1 CBM = 35.3 cubic feet
And for air freight, 1 CBM is charged as 167 kg. A light bulky shipment pays on volume, a dense one on weight.
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The forty-cubic-foot ton
Sailing ships charged by the freight ton: 40 cubic feet, the space a ton of general cargo used. The volume outlived the weight it was named after.
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A container is not its name
A 20 ft container holds about 33 CBM, not 38. Doors, walls and corner posts take the rest, and pallets waste more.
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Background
About freight volume
Freight is charged on whichever is greater: the weight or the space. CBM (cubic meters) is the space, and volumetric weight converts that space into the weight the carrier bills you for — 167 kg per CBM for air freight.