CBM Calculator,
for shipping & freight.
Calculate CBM (cubic meters) from length, width, and height in any unit. Includes pallet and container reference numbers so you know how many of your boxes fit where.
Air freight DIM weight calculations.
This page calculates CBM for sea freight and container loading. For dimensional weight on air freight (where the 5000 and 6000 divisors come into play across carriers), see our sister site dimweightcalc.com.
Visit dimweightcalc.com →What CBM means.
CBM (cubic meter) is the standard volume unit in international shipping. Sea freight is priced per CBM, container capacities are quoted in CBM, and pallet sizes are converted to CBM for load planning.
The formula is simple: L × W × H, all in meters. If your dimensions are in centimeters, the result is in cm³ — divide by 1,000,000 to get CBM. If in inches, multiply your in³ result by 0.0000163871.
For shipping cost purposes, ocean freight typically charges by the greater of: CBM × $X-per-CBM rate, OR weight in tonnes × $Y-per-ton rate. This is similar to dimensional weight for air freight, just measured differently.
→ Calculate dimensional weight for air/parcel
→ Calculate total CBM across multiple boxes
| 1 CBM equals | |
| 1,000 liters | L |
| 35.31 cubic feet | ft³ |
| 1.308 cubic yards | yd³ |
| 264.2 US gallons | gal |
| 61,024 cubic inches | in³ |
1 CBM = 200 kg at the 5,000 express divisor, about 167 kg at the 6,000 air-freight ratio, and 1,000 kg at the 1:1 LCL sea ratio.
How much CBM fits where.
| Container / pallet | Internal dimensions | Nominal CBM | Practical CBM |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20-ft container | 5.89 × 2.35 × 2.39 m | 33.1 | ~28 |
| 40-ft container | 12.03 × 2.35 × 2.39 m | 67.6 | ~58 |
| 40-ft high cube (HC) | 12.03 × 2.35 × 2.69 m | 76.0 | ~65 |
| 45-ft high cube | 13.56 × 2.35 × 2.69 m | 85.7 | ~74 |
| GMA pallet (60" stack) | 1.22 × 1.02 × 1.52 m | 1.89 | ~1.7 |
| EUR pallet (1.5m stack) | 1.20 × 0.80 × 1.50 m | 1.44 | ~1.3 |
Practical CBM accounts for wasted space from pallet bases, irregular cargo, and load planning — typically 10–17% less than nominal. Try the container fit calculator to see exactly how many of your boxes will fit.