Gross Weight (G.W.) refers to the total weight of the goods themselves plus their packaging materials (such as cartons, wooden cases, pallets, containers, etc.). In foreign trade, gross weight is an important basis for calculating freight, customs declaration, shipment, and filling out documents such as bills of lading and packing lists. Usage scenarios include: sea/air/land freight calculation (usually charged by gross weight or volumetric weight), customs declaration, letter of credit requirements, insurance, etc. Notes: Gross weight is different from Net Weight and Tare Weight. Net weight refers only to the weight of the goods themselves, and tare weight refers to the weight of packaging. The relationship among the three is: Gross Weight = Net Weight + Tare Weight. When filling out documents, they must be accurately distinguished to avoid customs declaration errors or freight disputes caused by confusion. In addition, gross weight varies greatly under different packaging methods; for example, pallet transport requires including the pallet weight. Compared with 'net weight', gross weight is more commonly used in logistics and transportation, while net weight is mostly used for pricing, net content labeling, etc.
📝 Examples
1. Please provide the gross weight and net weight of this batch of goods so that we can calculate the ocean freight and customs declaration. (Note: The freight forwarder or shipping company needs the gross weight to calculate freight, while the net weight is used for customs declaration of the product name.)
2. The packing list shows that the gross weight of each wooden case is 25 kg, of which the tare weight is 2 kg and the net weight is 23 kg. (Note: This demonstrates the relationship among gross weight, tare weight, and net weight for document filling and verification.)
💡 Foreign Trade Tips
Foreign trade terms are the foundation of international business communication
Trade practices may vary slightly by country; pay attention when using them
When using terms in contracts, specify the applicable version (e.g., Incoterms 2020)
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