What is chargeable (volumetric) weight?
A truck, a plane or a container runs out of space as often as it runs out of payload. Chargeable weight is how carriers make sure a large box of foam costs more than its few kilograms suggest.
How volumetric weight is calculated
Measure the shipment at its outer dimensions, including the pallet and packaging, and multiply length × width × height. Then convert the volume with the factor your carrier uses. Common conventions are:
- Air freight: length × width × height in cm divided by 6,000, which equals 167 kg per cubic metre.
- Express and parcel services: often divided by 5,000, which equals 200 kg per cubic metre.
- Road groupage in Europe: often 333 kg per cubic metre, or a weight per loading metre of trailer floor.
- Sea freight LCL: one cubic metre is treated as one tonne, and the freight is charged on whichever is greater.
These are conventions, not laws. The factor, the rounding and whether stackability matters are set in each carrier's tariff, so always check it before you quote a client.
A worked example (illustrative numbers)
One pallet measures 120 × 80 × 100 cm and weighs 180 kg. Its volume is 0.96 cubic metres.
- Air at 6,000: 960,000 ÷ 6,000 = 160 kg. The actual weight is higher, so the chargeable weight is 180 kg.
- Express at 5,000: 960,000 ÷ 5,000 = 192 kg. Now volume wins, so the chargeable weight is 192 kg.
- Road groupage at 333 kg per cubic metre: 0.96 × 333 = 319.7 kg, so about 320 kg is charged, almost twice the real weight.
The same pallet is heavy for one carrier and bulky for another. That is why quotes built on actual weight alone go wrong.
How to pay less for space
- Measure accurately and at the widest point; carriers remeasure and charge the difference.
- Cut empty space: right-sized boxes and less filler reduce volume directly.
- Build stackable, flat-topped pallets; a pallet that cannot take anything on top may be charged for the full height of the trailer.
- Combine light and heavy goods in one shipment where the tariff allows it.
Where OrgLines fits
The OrgLines logistics module is built for cargo priced per tonne, such as grain and other bulk cargo. Each truck's loading and unloading weights are recorded on its trip, and the customer is invoiced for the actually weighed tonnes. For that kind of cargo, volumetric weight rarely plays a role.