CBM (Cubic Meter)
CBM is a cubic meter, the standard unit for measuring shipment volume in sea freight.
Freight forwarders price less-than-container loads (LCL) by CBM, and CBM decides whether a full container is worth booking. One CBM is a space of 1 × 1 × 1 meter.
A 20ft container holds about 26 to 28 CBM of cartons in practice, and a 40ft container about 55 to 58 CBM.
Formula
CBM = Length × Width × Height (cm) ÷ 1,000,000
Total CBM = CBM per carton × Cartons
Example
120 cartons of 60 × 40 × 50 cm are 0.12 CBM each, or 14.4 CBM in total.
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Common questions
How many CBM fit in a 20ft container?
About 33 CBM internal, roughly 26 to 28 usable for cartons.
Should I use inner or outer carton size?
Always outer dimensions.