LCL CBM Calculator
Calculate total CBM for your LCL (Less than Container Load) sea freight shipment. Enter carton dimensions and quantities — the calculator shows total volume, volumetric weight, and a ready-to-use freight note.
Enter the outer dimensions of each carton type and quantity — get total shipping volume in m³ for your LCL freight quote.
Carton dimensions
After calculating, copy the result into your workflow instead of searching for the calculator again.
Calculate first, then reuse the result
After you calculate, UtilityPilot can turn the result into a clean note you can paste into your SOP, spreadsheet, CRM, Slack, Notion, checklist or email.
Plain-English result — paste into any tool
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For client-ready wording
For Notion, docs or wikis
Share the tool without your values
No sign-up · No stored inputs · Copied text does not include your entered values
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
What is LCL and how is CBM used?
LCL (Less than Container Load) consolidates your cargo with other shippers into a shared container. Your freight cost is based on the CBM (cubic metres) your cargo occupies. Freight forwarders quote a rate per CBM — multiply by your total CBM to estimate cost.
Worked example
LCL shipment: 150 cartons, 55cm × 38cm × 32cm
Per carton: 0.55 × 0.38 × 0.32 = 0.0668 CBM
Total: 0.0668 × 150 = 10.02 CBM
Volumetric weight (ocean): 10.02 × 1,000 = 10,020 kg
At $80/CBM LCL rate: 10.02 × $80 = $801.60 ocean freight (before origin/destination charges).
LCL vs FCL guide
Use LCL when:
- • Shipment is 1–15 CBM
- • You cannot fill a full container
- • You need flexible shipping schedules
Consider FCL when:
- • Shipment exceeds 12–15 CBM
- • Goods are fragile or sensitive
- • You need faster transit with fewer handlings
Use this in your workflow
Copy the CBM result and freight note into your forwarder email, logistics spreadsheet, CRM, Slack or purchase order using the Copy freight planning note button.