Enter your carton size and quantity to get total CBM and CFT, how many cartons fit in each container size, and the chargeable weight for LCL and air freight.
Container figures use typical usable space for cartons (allowing for gaps and pallet loss): 20ft ≈ 28 CBM, 40ft ≈ 58 CBM, 40ft HC ≈ 68 CBM.
Example: 100 cartons of 50 × 40 × 30 cm = 0.06 CBM each = 6 CBM in total (211.9 CFT). That fits comfortably in LCL or a 20ft container.
| Container | Inside (L × W × H) | Capacity | Usable for cartons | Max payload |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20ft standard | 5.90 × 2.35 × 2.39 m | 33 CBM | 25–28 CBM | ~28,000 kg |
| 40ft standard | 12.03 × 2.35 × 2.39 m | 67 CBM | 55–58 CBM | ~26,500 kg |
| 40ft high cube | 12.03 × 2.35 × 2.69 m | 76 CBM | 65–68 CBM | ~26,500 kg |
Rule of thumb: under 15 CBM, LCL is usually cheaper. Above that, compare against a full 20ft container (FCL).
Both measure volume. CBM is cubic metres and CFT is cubic feet. 1 CBM = 35.315 CFT. Indian transporters often quote in CFT; international freight uses CBM.
Sea LCL is billed on whichever is higher: volume in CBM or weight in tonnes. 3 CBM weighing 1,800 kg is billed as 3 revenue tons; 3 CBM weighing 4,000 kg is billed as 4.
Air cargo uses volumetric weight = L × W × H (cm) ÷ 6,000, and couriers usually ÷ 5,000. You pay on the higher of actual or volumetric weight. Try our volumetric weight calculator.