Dimensional Weight in Shipping Goods from the USA

Three types of LCL services with the online freight calculator

Here is how dimensional weight impacts international shipping costs to ship goods from the U.S. overseas when using our online calculator:

• If you deliver goods packed in boxes or crates directly to an international sea carrier's terminal (professionally called CFS - Container Freight Station), the weight of your load will most likely not be a pricing factor. The cost of conveyance overseas will be calculated by the overall volume of your load, not by the weight. Delivery directly to CFS is the cheapest way to ship relatively large loads from the USA abroad, utilizing LCL service.
   
• However, if you request a pickup OR deliver a load to a local U.S. domestic LTL carrier's warehouse for ground transportation within the USA to a CFS, in that case, the cost of the U.S. domestic part of transportation will be calculated based on the cargo's dimensional weight.

Please note the essential difference between U.S. warehouses WITH or WITHOUT ASTERISK (*), as listed in the drop-down list when calculating international shipping costs with our online price calculator.

A. The HIGHLIGHTED terminals WITHOUT asterisks (MIAMI, FL, for example) are direct international ocean carriers' terminals - CFSs - Container Freight Stations.

Self-delivery directly to CFS is the cheapest way to ship goods from the USA overseas.

With such an approach, processing a shipment, loading on board the vessel, and sailing to the destination country will incur no additional charges while en route to the destination.

It is always under Option A in the price quote obtained in the online calculator.

The charges for shipments delivered directly to a CFS are typically based on the cargo's overall size, not its heaviness. Charges are calculated by volume per cubic meter or cubic foot. If a load's density does not exceed a density limit, then heaviness for such loads is not a pricing factor.

The density limit for cargo transportation by sea is very high. Most of the time, it is 1000 kilograms (2205 lbs) per Cubic Meter. Regular shipments will most likely not exceed this limit.

Please note that the density limit can be lower for smaller vessels that serve shorter trade lines (sailing between North America and the Caribbean, for example): 750 kilos per cbm or even 500 kilos per cbm. 
 
B. Warehouses WITH ASTERISKS (Cocoa Beach, FL*, for example) are local U.S. domestic LTL carriers' terminals. Shipments delivered at such terminals must be line-hauled to a CFS. Unlike with deliveries to CFS, shipments initiated via line haul terminals (LH) are subject to a line-haul charge on top of international sea freight cost.

U.S. domestic cargo transportation costs are based on the dimensional weight.

It should be under Option B in your price quote obtained in the online calculator.
  
C. Finally, with our online LCL price calculator, you can request a pickup of your packed goods "from your door." The calculator will determine pickup charges by your cargo location's ZIP code (U.S. postal code).

Pickup costs are based on the dimensional weight.

When calculating a price quote online, select a pickup type and enter the ZIP code in the last stage of the calculation. For your consideration, the online calculator should return a complete price quote, including the pickup option. Pickup charges will be added to the sea freight cost. 

It should be under Option B or C in your price quote.

***Please remember that even though the heaviness of loads delivered to CFS typically does not impact international shipping costs, local U.S. line haul and pickup charges are based on the dimensional weight of the load and the freight class.***

Dimensional weight in the U.S. domestic part of the transportation

Dimensional Weight (DW) states a volumetric standard instead of the actual cargo's heaviness.

When an international shipment is conveyed from the USA overseas using LCL, DW applies to the ground part of the transportation. This is typically used to calculate charges from U.S. domestic LTL carriers during cargo deliveries to ocean carriers' terminals (CFSs).

When calculating shipping costs with our online calculator and requesting a pickup or line haul, you enter the dimensions and mass of each unit. You instantly recognize whether your load is subject to actual or DW charges. In other words, in international shipping from the USA utilizing LCL, U.S. domestic pickup, and line haul charges are calculated based on the actual or dimensional weight, whichever is greater.

It favors shippers of dense items and does not favor those who ship light items. For example, a box of unpopped corn kernels will likely be charged by gross mass; a box of popcorn will probably be charged by its dimensional weight. Shippers avoid DW charges by using smaller containers, compressing their goods, and reducing the use of packing materials.

Depending on carriers, DW in U.S. domestic ground transportation is calculated using different formulas. For example, Dim. weight in lbs = L X W X H (in inches):166.

Density limit in Less-than-Container-Load

Most of the time, vessels' capacity is not limited by the heaviness of the load but by the ships' hold. Therefore, sea freight rates for regular loads are calculated based on the overall cargo volume, not the tonnage. As a rule, the weightiness of the load is not a pricing factor in intercontinental cargo transportation by sea.

However, a density limit impacts international shipping costs under certain circumstances.

It varies depending on the class of vessels, international ocean carriers, origins and destinations, country regulations, etc. Most of the time, regular international ocean shipments do not exceed the density limit. U.S. exporters and importers should know the "U.S. 45 lbs rule in ocean freight": 45 lbs = one cubic foot. This means that if the density of international load exceeds 45 lbs per cubic foot, chargeable volume will be calculated using this formula: Total weight of the shipment (in pounds) divided by 45 lbs = Chargeable volume in cubic feet.

In international cargo transportation between countries with the metric system, the limit is one cubic meter = 1000 kilos (a metric ton). However, depending on vessels, ocean carriers, etc., it may vary by one cbm = 750 kilos, one cbm = 500 kilos, etc.

Always pay attention to the density limit when conveying weighty cargo.

Freight class in the U.S. domestic part of the transportation

Freight Class is the category defined by the U.S. National Motor Freight Traffic Association. (NMFTA). It is also referred to as NMFC - National Motor Freight Classification.

The Class is determined by its contents, as different types of products have different shipping costs. There are 18 different classes from class 55 up to class 500. Regarding shipping goods from the U.S. overseas LCL, the class determines the rate you will pay on pickup or line-haul to deliver the shipment to an ocean carrier's terminal (CFS). Higher classes are subject to higher costs in U.S. ground transportation.
 
The NMFTA classifies products according to four characteristics:

• Density - mass per cubic foot
• Stowability - including excessive mass and excessive length
• Ease of Handling - includes special care or attention necessary to handle the goods.
• Liability- includes price per pound, susceptibility to theft, liability to damage, and perishability.

When conveying NMFC-rated shipments, ensure that your class is accurate. The class submitted is most likely not to be reclassified if it falls within the following guidelines:

• You ship new or used commercial/industrial goods.
• The density corresponds to the class.

You may also call the NMFTA at (703) 838-1810 to reconfirm the shipment's class by commodity.

Notice: If you declare household goods in your shipment, the carrier will most likely classify such a shipment as class 150.