How big is a cubic meter in international cargo transportation? 

The above U.S. LCL online freight calculator lets you quickly estimate international shipping costs for goods exported from the United States. Select your destination country to begin.

International sea freight costs are typically calculated by volume in cubic meters or feet rather than by weight.

A cubic (CBM) meter is the standard unit of volume used in international cargo transportation. However, when it is transported from the USA, it is often measured in cubic feet.

One cubic meter is equal to approximately 35 cubic feet (CBF). Look at the picture to understand the size of a cubic meter.

• A cubic meter is a volume that your packed goods can fill in a space limited by one meter wide, one meter in length, and one meter in height, OR ~ by 39" wide, 39" in length, and 39" in height.
• One metric meter ~ 3.28 metric feet
• One CBM ~ 35 CBF

In international cargo transportation, one cubic meter represents a significant volume. When shipping goods from the USA in boxes, you can accommodate many boxes of various sizes within that one cubic meter.

Look at the picture. Imagine how many boxes you can fit into one cubic meter. Click on it to watch a video on YouTube and see the volume containing just one cubic meter.

When shipping goods from the USA via LCL (Less than Container Load), international cargo transportation rates are determined based on volume, measured in CBM or CBF. This means that, for sea freight, the weight of the goods typically does not affect the pricing. In most cases, you can disregard the weight.

However, the cargo transportation rates are calculated based on weight, measured in kilos or pounds, for the ground transportation portion of multimodal international cargo transportation.

Cubic meter in LCL freight

LCL freight is the most economical way to deliver relatively large loads from the United States overseas. The advantage of LCL is that, typically, the cargo's weight in LCL is not a pricing factor and does not affect international shipping costs*.

*Does not apply if you ship a weighty load when the density of transporting goods exceeds a density limit assigned to a particular routing. However, if you ship regular commodities, then the weight of the shipment shouldn't exceed the density limit.

In other words, unlike international parcel or airfreight, LCL freight rates depend on the volume per CBM (or CBF in the USA). As a load is delivered at sea carriers' terminals (called CFS—Container Freight Station), international shippers should not worry about the weight of the load. If LCL is utilized, the weight of goods typically does not affect the cost of international cargo transportation.

You can find more information about a CBM when moving goods from the U.S. abroad.

The w/m rules in respect of different modes of cargo transportation

W/m stands for "weight or measurement." It is a term used in international and U.S. domestic cargo transportation that sets a density limit.

In international cargo transportation by sea, freight rates for standard shipments depend on the total volume instead of weight. However, for heavier shipments, the rates are adjusted based on the weight of the shipment. W/m calculations can differ based on the transportation method and carrier used.

Shippers should know the rules for calculating chargeable weight and volume (W/m) for different types of cargo transportation. The two primary methods in international shipping from the USA are international LCL (Less Than Container Load) freight and U.S. domestic LTL (Less Than Truckload) ground transportation.

International LCL Freight: Cargo vessel capacities are usually based on volume, not weight. If you deliver your shipment directly to an ocean carrier terminal (CFS), you can ignore the weight, and the rates will be calculated based on CBM or CBF.

A density limit is known as "w/m—weight or measurement, whichever is greater," for heavier loads. This limit can vary depending on the size of the cargo vessel, carrier, and local regulations. When shipping from the U.S. by sea, this limit can particularly impact shipments to the Caribbean and Mexico.

Most regular commodities will not exceed the density limit. If you ship goods from the U.S. to other countries with LCL, remember the "U.S. 45 lbs Rule," which states that 45 lbs equals one cubic foot. Suppose the density of your load exceeds 45 lbs per CBF. In that case, the chargeable volume will be calculated using this formula: Total cargo weight in pounds divided by 45 equals chargeable volume in cubic feet.

There is a similar rule for metric measurements: "1 CBM = 1000 kilograms." However, the weight-to-measurement (w/m) limit can differ by vessel or carrier. Sometimes cubic meters may equate to 750 or even 500 kilograms. Considering the w/m limit for heavy loads is essential.

For U.S. domestic Less-than-Truckload (LTL) ground transportation, costs are based on weight (in kilograms or pounds) and should be listed separately from sea freight costs. This also applies to international LCL shipments, which U.S. LTL carriers typically manage.

U.S. domestic cargo transportation: LTL regulations are stricter than LCL, and all LTL loads must be weighed. The chargeable weight for LTL transportation is calculated using this formula: Chargeable Weight (lbs) = Max of (Actual Weight OR (Length x Width x Height in inches) ÷ 194)**

Transportation costs and dimensional weight depend on freight class, which varies based on the type of goods. Please refer to the link for details on dimensional weight and freight class.