Pallet CBM Calculator
Enter pallet dimensions and the number of pallets to calculate total CBM (cubic metres) for sea freight LCL quotes, container planning and warehousing volume estimates.
Enter pallet dimensions and the number of pallets to calculate total CBM (cubic metres) for sea freight LCL quotes, container planning and warehousing. Supports cm, m and inches.
Formula
CBM per Pallet = Length × Width × Height ÷ 1,000,000 (cm) | Total CBM = CBM per Pallet × Number of Pallets
CBM (cubic metres) is the standard unit for sea freight volume. Divide the product of the three pallet dimensions in centimetres by 1,000,000 to convert to cubic metres. Multiply by the number of pallets to get the total shipment volume used for LCL pricing and container planning.
Worked Example
10 standard pallets, each 120 × 100 × 150 cm (including load height):
CBM per pallet = 120 × 100 × 150 ÷ 1,000,000 = 1.80 m³
Total CBM = 1.80 × 10 = 18.00 m³
18 CBM sits comfortably within LCL territory. A 20ft container holds ~28 CBM usable volume, so you have room for 8–9 more pallets before FCL becomes the more cost-effective option. Use the Container Loading Calculator to model this.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Use this in your workflow
Use pallet CBM to plan Container Loading — compare total CBM against container usable volume to decide between LCL and FCL. Feed the CBM figure into the Landed Cost Calculator to allocate sea freight cost per unit. Browse all Free Business Calculators.
When to use this calculator
- →Requesting LCL sea freight quotes from forwarders — total CBM is the primary pricing input
- →Deciding between LCL and FCL based on total pallet volume vs container capacity
- →Warehouse slotting and storage planning where space is allocated in cubic metres
- →Calculating freight cost per unit by dividing total LCL freight by unit count