CBM Calculator for Shipping from China
By Hasan Olwan · Last updated: September 24, 2026
Enter the size of one carton and the number of cartons. The calculator shows your total volume in CBM (cubic meters), the chargeable weight for air freight, and how full a 20ft, 40ft or 40HQ container would be. Use it to estimate shipping costs and choose between a shared container, a full container or air freight.
Get a Shipping Quote (the calculator passes your CBM to the form)
How to calculate CBM
CBM is length × width × height of one carton, in meters, multiplied by the number of cartons.
In centimeters: (L × W × H in cm) ÷ 1,000,000 × number of cartons
In inches: (L × W × H in inches) ÷ 61,024 × number of cartons
Example: 100 cartons of 60 × 40 × 40 cm.
60 × 40 × 40 = 96,000 cm³ per carton. 96,000 ÷ 1,000,000 = 0.096 CBM per carton. × 100 cartons = 9.6 CBM.
How to calculate CBM for air freight
Airlines charge by chargeable weight: the higher of the actual weight and the volumetric weight.
Volumetric weight (kg) = (L × W × H in cm) ÷ 6,000, per carton
Example: one 60 × 40 × 40 cm carton = 96,000 ÷ 6,000 = 16 kg volumetric. If the carton actually weighs 12 kg, you pay for 16 kg. For 100 cartons, that’s 1,600 kg chargeable.
Express couriers (DHL, FedEx, UPS) use a divisor of 5,000 for shipments measured in centimeters, which makes the volumetric weight higher.
How many CBM fit in a container?
| Container | Internal volume | Realistic load |
|---|---|---|
| 20ft | about 33 CBM | about 28 CBM |
| 40ft | about 67 CBM | about 58 CBM |
| 40HQ (high cube) | about 76 CBM | about 68 CBM |
You can’t fill every cubic meter. Carton shapes leave gaps, and heavy goods hit the weight limit before the space runs out. The realistic load is a planning figure for mixed cartons, and it matches what we load in practice.
When to choose which:
- Under about 13–15 CBM: a shared container (LCL) is usually cheaper.
- 15–28 CBM: compare LCL with a 20ft container.
- Above 28 CBM: 40ft or 40HQ.
Next step: get a real price
The calculator gives you volume. We turn it into a shipping price, by sea, air or express, with DDP to your door.
Related: DDP shipping from China · Consolidation warehouse