Chargeable Weight

Chargeable Weight is the weight standard used to calculate freight charges in international shipping, commonly appearing in air freight, LCL sea freight, and express delivery services. Its core logic is to compare the actual gross weight of the cargo with the volumetric weight, and take the greater of the two as the chargeable weight. Volumetric weight is converted based on the space occupied by the cargo. The common formula for air freight is: length × width × height (cm) ÷ 6000 (or 5000, depending on carrier rules). For LCL sea freight, it is often converted at 1 cubic meter = 1000 kilograms. Usage scenarios include: air waybills, LCL sea waybills, express waybills, and freight settlement. Notes: Different carriers and routes may use different conversion factors (such as 6000, 5000, 3000), and the charging methods for light cargo (bulky but light) and heavy cargo differ; chargeable weight directly affects freight costs, so it must be clarified when quoting. The difference from 'actual weight' is that the latter only refers to the gross weight of the cargo and does not reflect space occupation; the difference from 'volumetric weight' is that the latter is a converted value, while chargeable weight is the final value used for charging. Foreign trade practitioners should accurately measure cargo dimensions and weight before booking to avoid extra costs caused by chargeable weight errors.