Volumetric Weight

Volumetric Weight is a chargeable weight used in international logistics to calculate freight for lightweight but bulky cargo, commonly applied in air freight, express delivery, and some LCL sea shipments. The principle is: when the actual weight of the cargo is low but it occupies a large volume, the carrier charges based on a weight converted from volume to compensate for lost space utilization. Common conversion formulas: for air/express, length × width × height (cm) ÷ 6000 (or 5000); for LCL sea freight, 1 cubic meter = 1000 kg. Usage scenarios: when shipping low-density goods (such as foam, textiles, plastic products), the freight forwarder or courier compares actual weight with volumetric weight and takes the larger one as the chargeable weight. Notes: the divisor may vary by carrier and channel (e.g., 5000, 6000, 8000), so it should be confirmed in advance; volumetric weight measurement is usually rounded up based on the longest side of the outer packaging. Difference from Actual Weight: actual weight is the physical weight of the goods, while volumetric weight is a space-converted weight; relationship with Chargeable Weight: chargeable weight is the greater of actual weight and volumetric weight.