Freight calculator

CBM Calculator — Cubic Metres for Freight & Shipping

Enter the packed outside dimensions and quantity—no unit conversion required. The calculator returns total CBM, cubic feet, litres, and volume per piece for a freight quote.

CostFree

AccountNot required

ResultUpdates live

Rules reviewedAugust 14, 2026

Example values included

24 cartons at 60 × 40 × 35 cm

Calculate freight CBM from packed outside dimensions and quantity, with centimetre, metre, inch, and foot inputs converted automatically.

Total volume = length × width × height × quantity

Start with the example ↓

Your shipment details

Updates live

Example values are filled inReplace them with your measurements or costs

The calculator applies the formula and unit conversion automatically.

Dimension unit

Length

Width

Height

Quantity

Use this when

Questions this estimate can answer

You need total cubic metres for a freight quote or booking request.
You have repeated cartons, crates, or pallets in one consistent size.
You want CBM, cubic feet, litres, and volume per piece from the same inputs.

Not for

Checks you still need to make

Assuming carton cube equals a larger palletised or irregular outside envelope.
Choosing chargeable air or LCL weight without also entering gross weight.
Replacing a carrier's measurement, minimum, or rounding rule.

Several shipments to calculate?

Use the $19 operations workbook for batch work.

Compare quotes and keep landed cost, pallet plans, DIM checks, and margin calculations in one editable Excel file.

See the workbook ↗

Method & limits

How this estimate works

The result uses the formula below. Check the measurements, unit setting, and applicable carrier or supplier rule before using it.

Total volume = length × width × height × quantity

This is external carton volume. It does not include pallet dimensions, protective overhang, or irregular packing space.

ReferencesMaersk guidance for calculating LCL CBM ↗

This calculator is a planning aid, not a carrier quotation, engineering assessment, or professional advice. Verify critical figures against current supplier and carrier documentation.

Worked example

24 cartons at 60 × 40 × 35 cm

Convert centimetres to metres: 0.60 × 0.40 × 0.35.
Volume per carton: 0.084 m³.
Shipment volume: 0.084 × 24 = 2.016 m³.

ResultEnter 2.016 CBM on the freight request before any carrier rounding, palletisation, or chargeable-weight rule.

Avoid these errors

Common mistakes that change the answer

Using product dimensions instead of the finished carton, crate, or pallet envelope.
Mixing centimetres, metres, inches, and feet on the same cargo line.
Adding loose-carton CBM and palletised CBM for the same freight.
Treating physical CBM as chargeable volume without checking weight, minimums, and tariff rules.

A calculator can expose the arithmetic; the applicable carrier rate card, handling standard, or freight quotation still controls the real transaction.

Free to embed

Put this calculator on your site.

Paste one iframe into a logistics article, supplier portal, or internal knowledge base. The calculator stays hosted and updated by ShipMathLab.

<iframe src="https://shipmathlab.com/embed/cbm-calculator" title="CBM Calculator — Cubic Metres for Freight & Shipping" width="100%" height="820" loading="lazy" style="border:0"></iframe>

Formula source on GitHub ↗

Examples and guides

6 minHow to calculate CBM for a freight quote ↗

Turn carton or crate dimensions into a defensible total-volume figure for air, ocean, and road quotes.

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