CBM Calculator
CBM Calculator & How to Calculate CBM
CBM (cubic meter) is the volume of your cargo. Enter length, width and height below to get CBM instantly, and see roughly how many pieces fit in a 20ft, 40ft or 40ft HC container.
CBM Calculator
Enter one item's dimensions and quantity. Results update as you type.
※ Piece counts assume ~90% usable volume and are rough estimates. For an exact plan, use the loading calculator.
01CBM Formula
One multiplication once units match
The key is to convert everything to meters. If your dimensions are in cm, divide each side by 100 first, then multiply. For multiple pieces, multiply the per-piece CBM by quantity.
Each:
0.6 × 0.4 × 0.4 = 0.096 CBMTotal:
0.096 × 50 = 4.8 CBM02What is CBM?
Cubic meter
CBM stands for Cubic Meter, a unit of volume. One CBM is a cube measuring 1m × 1m × 1m. In shipping, CBM is the basis for ocean freight pricing and for working out how many units fit in a container. For reference, a 20ft holds ~33 CBM, a 40ft ~67.5 CBM and a 40ft HC ~76 CBM — see the container dimensions guide.
03Volumetric weight
Pricing light, bulky cargo
Light but bulky cargo is priced on volumetric weight rather than actual weight. Air freight typically multiplies CBM by 167; ocean LCL treats 1 CBM as 1 ton (revenue ton) and charges on whichever is greater. So knowing your CBM also tells you which basis your freight will be billed on.
Loading several cargo types?
For multiple items or a real container load plan with a 3D layout, use the web calculator — enter dimensions and it builds the plan automatically.
Open the Loading Simulator04FAQ
Common questions about CBM
How do I calculate CBM?
Multiply length (m) × width (m) × height (m). If dimensions are in cm, divide each by 100 first. Example: 60 × 40 × 40 cm → 0.6 × 0.4 × 0.4 = 0.096 CBM.
What does CBM mean?
Cubic Meter — a unit of volume. One CBM equals one cubic meter (1m × 1m × 1m), used for freight pricing and container capacity.
How many kg is 1 CBM?
CBM is volume, so it has no fixed weight. In ocean LCL, 1 CBM is conventionally treated as 1 ton (revenue ton) and compared against actual weight.