Use this free CBM calculator to work out the volume of your shipment in cubic metres. Enter your carton sizes in centimetres or inches and the number of cartons. You get the total CBM, the LCL chargeable volume and how much of a 20ft, 40ft or 40ft high cube container it fills. You can email yourself the result as a PDF.
How to use the CBM calculator
- Choose centimetres or inches.
- Enter the outer length, width and height of one carton, the number of cartons and the weight per carton.
- Add another line for each different carton size.
- Read the total CBM and container fit. Email yourself a PDF if you want to share it with your forwarder.
How is CBM calculated?
CBM = length × width × height (in metres) × number of cartons. In centimetres, multiply the three sides and divide by 1,000,000. In inches, divide by 61,024.
Example: a carton of 60 × 40 × 50 cm is 0.12 CBM. 100 cartons are 12 CBM.
How much fits in a container?
| Container | Internal volume | Realistic loadable volume |
|---|---|---|
| 20ft | about 33 CBM | 25–28 CBM |
| 40ft | about 67 CBM | 55–60 CBM |
| 40ft high cube | about 76 CBM | 65–70 CBM |
Why does my LCL quote use a different number?
LCL is charged per revenue ton: 1 CBM or 1,000 kg, whichever is greater. If your cargo weighs more than 1,000 kg per CBM, you pay by weight. The calculator shows this as “LCL chargeable (W/M)”.
Related guides
- How do I calculate CBM for a shipment?
- FCL vs LCL: which is cheaper for my shipment?
- FCL vs LCL calculator
Last reviewed October 2026. Results are estimates based on the figures you enter, not quotes.