📦 Shipping
Freight Volumetric Weight
Calculate the volumetric weight of a parcel and compare it with the actual weight to find what the carrier will charge. Press Calculate.
About the Freight Volumetric Weight
Carriers charge for space as well as mass. Volumetric weight converts a parcel's dimensions into a notional kilogram figure using a divisor: air freight often uses 6,000 cm³/kg, express couriers 5,000, and some road services 4,000 or 3,000. The chargeable weight is the greater of actual and volumetric weight.
A large, light box is therefore charged on its dimensions. A 50 × 40 × 30 cm carton is 60,000 cm³; at a 5,000 divisor that is 12 kg volumetric, so a 5 kg actual parcel is billed as 12 kg. Measure the outside dimensions and round up to the nearest centimetre.
How the calculation works
- Volume (cm³) = length × width × height.
- Volumetric weight (kg) = volume ÷ divisor × quantity.
- Chargeable weight = max(actual weight, volumetric weight).
- Common divisors: 5,000 express, 6,000 air freight, 4,000 road.
Reference values
| Divisor | 1,000 cm³ | 10,000 cm³ | 50,000 cm³ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5,000 | 0.2 kg | 2 kg | 10 kg |
| 6,000 | 0.167 kg | 1.667 kg | 8.333 kg |
| 4,000 | 0.25 kg | 2.5 kg | 12.5 kg |
| 3,000 | 0.333 kg | 3.333 kg | 16.667 kg |
Worked example: ten light cartons
A 60 × 40 × 40 cm carton is 96,000 cm³. At a 5,000 divisor it is 19.2 kg volumetric; at 6,000 it is 16 kg. If the actual weight is 8 kg, the chargeable weight is 19.2 kg or 16 kg respectively. Ten cartons at 19.2 kg are 192 kg chargeable, even though the goods weigh 80 kg.
That gap is why packing density matters for light goods. Reducing the outer volume—flatter packaging, no empty space, a smaller carton—is the only legitimate way to lower the volumetric weight. Declaring a lower weight does not change the dimensions the carrier measures.
Minimum charges, rounding and surcharges
Chargeable weight is rarely the final billed weight. Couriers apply a minimum charge — often 0.5 kg or 1 kg for express — and round up to the next half or whole kilogram. A 0.3 kg envelope may therefore be billed as 0.5 kg, and a 12.2 kg parcel as 12.5 kg. On a multi-piece shipment the rounding can apply per piece or to the consignment total, which changes the result.
Fuel surcharges, remote-area fees, oversize surcharges and residential delivery charges are separate from weight and are usually a percentage of the base rate. Compare quotations on the all-in landed cost for the same service level, not on the headline rate per kilogram. A cheap per-kilo rate with a large minimum and a fuel surcharge can cost more than a higher headline rate without them.