CBM Calculator

Work out the cubic meters of your shipment and how much of a 20ft or 40ft container it fills.

Carton length (cm)

Carton width (cm)

Carton height (cm)

Number of cartons

Weight per carton (kg)

Total volume (CBM)

14.4

CBM per carton: 0.12
Total volume (ft³): 508.53
Total weight (kg): 2,160
20ft container fill: 51.43%
40ft container fill: 24.83%

Save time, just kivi it.

How to use the CBM calculator

Enter the outer length, width and height of one carton in centimetres.
Enter the number of cartons and the gross weight of each carton.
Read total CBM, total weight and how full a standard 20ft or 40ft container would be.

CBM formulas

CBM per carton = L × W × H (cm) ÷ 1,000,000

Total CBM = CBM per carton × Cartons

Cubic feet = CBM × 35.315

Container fill % = Total CBM ÷ Usable container CBM × 100

Fill percentages use typical usable volumes of about 28 CBM for a 20ft container and 58 CBM for a 40ft container. Real loads fit less because of carton shapes, pallets and weight limits.

Example

Your supplier ships 120 cartons of 60 × 40 × 50 cm, each weighing 18 kg. Each carton is 0.12 CBM, so the shipment is 14.4 CBM (508.54 ft³) and 2,160 kg. That fills about 51.43% of a 20ft container, so LCL or a shared container may be cheaper than a full one.

Why CBM matters for importers

Sea freight for less-than-container loads (LCL) is usually priced per CBM, and CBM decides whether a full container (FCL) is worth it. Knowing your CBM before you order helps you compare quotes and plan order sizes.

LCL or FCL?

As a rough guide, shipments under about 13 to 15 CBM are often cheaper as LCL, while larger shipments may be better value as a 20ft FCL. Rates change often, so ask your forwarder for both quotes.