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Freight from the USA
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U.S. Sea freight Price Calculator
Shipping Boxes, Crates and Pallets (LCL)
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For example, shipping a load of one cubic meter (CBM, M³) is equivalent to international delivery of 12 standard U.S. medium boxes measuring 18"x18"x16" each.
Our online freight calculator estimates volume in cubic meters, as shipping costs in global cargo transportation are calculated using the metric system. This web page explains the meaning of cubic meters in LCL freight shipping from the USA to worldwide destinations.
What is the CUBIC METER?
This image and this short video on YouTube should help you figure out how big a cubic meter is.
Technically, a M³ can be any combination of dimensions, provided that all three dimensions (in metric meters, including the decimals) are multiplied by each other, resulting in 1.
LCL stands for Less-than-Container-Load. It is the most convenient and economical way to ship relatively large loads overseas. Another advantage is that with LCL, cargo self-delivered to sea carrier terminals (CFS), weight is usually not a pricing factor*.
*This statement is invalid if you carry extremely heavy loads and the density of transporting goods exceeds a density limit in your particular shipment. Regular commodities will unlikely exceed the density limit.
In other words, unlike with parcel services or airfreight, LCL rates are primarily based on the size of loads, not on their weight. LCL price quotes are based on ocean freight rates per M³ (or ft³), but not the poundage of the load in kilos or pounds. As soon as the shipment is delivered at an ocean carrier's terminal (CFS, Container Freight Station), shippers should not worry about the weight of the shipment. Just disregard the weight.
If you pack your goods in standard moving boxes to ship internationally from the United States, these pictures should give you an idea of how boxes may fit into the size of one M³.
Note that the overall volume of your boxes does not have to be limited by one CBM. The international shipping with LCL is not limited to one M³. The total volume will be derived as the sum of the volumes of all your boxes (including fractions). For example:
Transporting overseas 20 loose boxes, sizes 18"x14"x12", equals the shipping of a load of 1.42 M³. (20x1.50'x1.67'x1' = 50.1 ft³ = 1.42 M³)
Transporting overseas 6 boxes, sizes of 18"x18"x22", is equal to shipping a load of 0.7 M³* (6x1.50'x1.50'x1.83' = 24.7 ft³ = 0.7 M³)
*IMPORTANT: LCL freight rates always have minimum charges on entire shipments. In this example, if the rate is $125 per CBM / $125 minimum charge, you always pay $125, even though the load size is less than one cubic meter.
Typically (but not always), minimum charges equal the costs of carrying a load of one CBM (or 35 ft³). For example, if your overall volume multiplied by the LCL freight rate per CBM is less than the minimum in the ocean freight rate, you will be charged that minimum regardless of the actual volume you ship.
You can ship items of any size, including boxes, crates, luggage, or anything else adequately packed for overseas conveyance. The only limit is that all your internationally shipping units should fit into a 40-foot multimodal sea container.
W/m is the acronym for weight or measurement commonly used in international and U.S. domestic cargo transportation. It means weight or measurement, whichever is greater. The W/m rule presents a cargo density limit. Rates for regular loads are calculated based on the size, while heavy loads will be recalculated considering the poundage. W/m calculations differ depending on the mode of transportation and the carrier.
Shippers should know the chargeable weight and volume (w/m) standards used in different cargo transportation modes. Regarding global cargo transportation from the USA utilizing Less-than-Container-Load, there are two modes: international freight and U.S. domestic LTL ground conveyance.
International freight: Since vessels' capacity is not limited by the tonnage but by the hold of ships, rates for regular loads are usually based on the size, not the mass. If shipment is self-delivered at an ocean carrier terminal (CFS), you may disregard the weight of your goods. Rates from CFSs will be calculated per CBM or ft³.
Remember that a density limit occurs if you are transporting weighty loads. It is called "w/m - weight or measurements, whichever is greater." The limit varies depending on the sizes of vessels, ocean carriers, origins, destination regulations, etc. Regarding transporting goods from the U.S. by sea, the w/m may occur when transporting to the Caribbean and Mexico.
Regular commodities will most likely not exceed the density limit. When shipping goods from the USA overseas LCL, you should know the "U.S. 45 lbs Rule: 45 lbs = one cubic foot." Suppose the load density exceeds 45 lbs per cubic foot. In that case, the chargeable volume (total shipping cost of such a shipment) will be calculated using this formula: Total poundage of load in pounds divided by 45 lbs = chargeable volume in cubic feet.
A similar limit is in metric calculations: the "1 M³ = 1000 kilos rule" can also be used. It is called a "metric ton." However, depending on a vessel, ocean carrier, etc., the w/m limit may vary: one cbm = 750 kilos; 1 M³ = 500 kilos, etc. When transporting weighty loads, quoting, and booking such a shipment, keep the w/m limit in mind. In other words, if exporting a weighty load, pay attention to the w/m limit.
U.S. domestic LTL ground transportation: Regarding shipping internationally using LCL, this applies to inland cargo conveyance within the USA from the location to an ocean carrier's terminal (CFS), particularly on pickup or line haul. In U.S. domestic conveyance, shipping cost is calculated by the mass in kilos or lbs and should be separated in invoices from sea freight charges.
In international conveyance with Less-than-Container-Load, the U.S. domestic part of the cargo transportation is typically supported by U.S. LTL carriers. LTL means Less than Truck Load. Please do not confuse it with LCL.
W/m in LTL (inland transportation within the USA) is more regulated than in Less-than-Container-Load. All LTL shipments are subject to actual or dimensional weight verification. Typically, in the USA, in LTL, chargeable weight is calculated using this formula:
Chargeable (Dimensional) Mass in Pounds = Actual Mass OR (Length x Width x height in inches) divided by 194, whichever is greater.
The cost and dimensional weight of U.S. LTL conveyances also depend on the freight class, which depends on the kind of goods.
Regarding international cargo transportation using the FCL service, FCL (Full Container Load) rates are primarily based on the size of ocean containers, not the weight or size of goods. International shippers should pay attention to the capacities and payloads of multimodal sea containers.
Here are capacities and payloads for the most commonly used multimodal sea containers:
*Payload should not exceed legal over-the-road limits in the United States and Canada. The recommended maximum payload for containers transported within the USA and Canada is 35,000 lbs per 20' and 42,000 lbs per 40' sea container.
Rates with carriers that provide RO-RO service are based on the sizes of vehicles in CBM or ft³ and the type of vehicles being shipped. The bigger a vehicle is, the higher the sea rate per CBM or ft³.
In international transportation RO-RO, the total shipping cost is calculated as the vehicle's overall size in CBM or ft³, multiplied by an ocean freight rate per CBM or ft³.
Exemptions can be Ro-Ro rates for cars. For cars, it is a lump sum per vehicle, depending on the vehicle size. For example, the rate of cars with an overall size of up to 600 ft³ feet and up to 1.6 meters in height to ship from the U.S. to a particular country is $1,300 lump sum + BAF & CAF, etc. However, you may notice that the "lump sum" for transporting a car is also related to a range in sizes in CBM or ft³.
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