CBM Calculator
Calculate cubic metres for shipping, logistics, and warehousing. Supports multiple items, mixed quantities, and four unit systems. Essential for sea freight LCL quotes.
Enter Dimensions
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.
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.