20ft and 40ft Container CBM Capacity
Standard CBM capacities for 20ft, 40ft, and 40ft High Cube shipping containers. Use the CBM calculator below to check if your cargo fits in a specific container type.
Container capacity reference
20ft Standard
40ft Standard
40ft High Cube
Usable CBM is approximate and depends on cargo shape, packing efficiency, and shipper guidelines. Always confirm with your freight forwarder.
Calculate your cargo CBM
Enter the outer dimensions of each carton type and quantity — get total shipping volume in m³ for your LCL freight quote.
Carton dimensions
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Formula
CBM = Length (m) × Width (m) × Height (m)
Convert all dimensions to metres first, then multiply. For multiple items: sum each item's volume × quantity. Example: 60cm × 40cm × 50cm = 0.6 × 0.4 × 0.5 = 0.12 m³.
Worked Example
Scenario: Shipment of 3 different carton sizes for an LCL sea freight quote.
Carton A: 60×40×50cm × 20 units = 0.12 m³ × 20 = 2.40 m³
Carton B: 80×60×60cm × 10 units = 0.288 m³ × 10 = 2.88 m³
Carton C: 40×30×30cm × 50 units = 0.036 m³ × 50 = 1.80 m³
Total: 7.08 m³
At a freight rate of £85/m³, the shipping cost would be 7.08 × £85 = £601.80.
Common Mistakes
- Mixing units. Entering some dimensions in cm and others in metres gives wrong results. Set the unit selector and use it consistently for all items.
- Using inner dimensions instead of outer. Freight is charged on the outer carton dimensions, not the product size inside.
- Forgetting to multiply by quantity. If you have 20 identical cartons, enter 20 in the Qty field — the total CBM is per unit × quantity.
Guide
How to Use
- 1
Select your unit
Choose cm, m, in, or ft. All values are converted to metres automatically.
- 2
Enter outer carton dimensions
Measure length, width, and height of each carton or pallet type.
- 3
Set the quantity
Enter the number of identical units. CBM per item is multiplied by quantity.
- 4
Add more items if needed
Click "Add item" for each different carton or SKU type in your shipment.
- 5
Get the total
Click Calculate to see total m³ and estimated volumetric sea freight weight.
Next Steps
What to do next
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Related by Workflow
Related by Region
How to choose between 20ft and 40ft
Under 15 CBM: Consider LCL (shared container) — cheaper than booking a full 20ft container.
15–25 CBM: A 20ft FCL is typically most cost-effective. Check weight limits.
25–55 CBM: A 40ft Standard or 40ft High Cube. The incremental cost over a 20ft is usually small.
Over 55 CBM: Multiple containers or a flat rack / open top may be needed.
Use this in your workflow
After calculating, copy the CBM total and freight note into your forwarder email, purchase order, logistics spreadsheet, CRM or Slack using the Copy freight planning note button.