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The chargeable weight is the weight you pay the carrier for. It is sometimes also referred to as volumetric weight. In practice, it's whichever is greater — the actual weight of your shipment or its volumetric weight.
Why is chargeable weight used?
Every mode of transport has limits on both the space and weight available for cargo. To make the most of that capacity, carriers compare the actual weight of your goods against their volumetric weight — and you pay for whichever is higher. That's your chargeable weight.
What is a conversion factor?
A conversion factor converts volume into volumetric weight — essentially telling you how many kilograms correspond to, for example, 1 cubic metre (CBM) or 1 loading metre (LDM). A commonly used factor for national road transport is 1 CBM = 250 kg or 1 LDM = 1,500 kg.
Not sure how to calculate loading metres? We've got you covered — check out our guide on loading metres.
This means that if you ship a pallet filling 1 CBM, its volumetric weight is 250 kg.
Below are some of the most commonly used conversion factors across different modes of transport — showing how many kilograms correspond to one loading metre, one cubic metre and one EUR pallet.
Keep in mind that conversion factors vary by mode of transport and carrier, so always check with your carrier before calculating.
| Road transport | Denmark | International | NO/SE/FI |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Loading metre = | 1,500 kg | 1,850 kg | 2,000 kg |
| 1 Cubic metre = | 250kg | 333 kg | 350kg |
| 1 EUR pallet* = | 600kg | 740kg | 800kg |
| Air freight | 1 CBM = 167 kg |
| Sea freight | 1 CBM = 1,000 kg |
| DHL Express/UPS/TNT Express | 1 CBM = 200 kg |
| TNT Economy | 1 CBM = 250 kg |
For a more in-depth look at conversion factors — including a free PDF overview — check out our guide on conversion factors.
How to calculate chargeable weight
Chargeable weight is calculated in three steps:
- Find the volume of your shipment in cubic metres (length × width × height)
- Calculate the volumetric weight (volume × conversion factor)
- Compare the volumetric weight with the actual weight — the higher of the two is your chargeable weight
The chargeable weight is whichever is greater — the volumetric weight or the actual weight. That's the figure you'll be billed for.
Note: If shipping by road, you should also calculate the volumetric weight based on loading metres.
Example: calculating chargeable weight
A 50×50×60 cm item weighing 30 kg needs to be shipped nationally by road. The applicable conversion factor is 1 CBM = 250 kg.
- Calculate the volume: 0.5 × 0.5 × 0.6 = 0.15 CBM
- Calculate the volumetric weight: 0.15 × 250 = 37.5 kg
The volumetric weight (37.5 kg) is greater than the actual weight (30 kg), so the chargeable weight is 37.5 kg — and that's what you'll pay for.
Den fragtpligtige vægt er derfor 37,5 kg, og det vil være denne vægt, du skal betale for, når du sender pakken.
FAQ
What is chargeable weight?
The chargeable weight is the weight you pay the carrier for. It's whichever is greater — the actual weight of your shipment or its volumetric weight.
Why is chargeable weight used?
Every mode of transport has limits on available space and weight. To make the most of that capacity, carriers compare the actual weight and volumetric weight of a shipment — and charge for whichever is higher.
What is a conversion factor?
A conversion factor converts volume into volumetric weight, indicating how many kilograms correspond to, for example, 1 cubic metre (CBM) or 1 loading metre (LDM).
The factor varies by mode of transport and carrier — always check with your carrier before calculating.
How is chargeable weight calculated?
- Find the volume of your shipment in cubic metres (length × width × height)
- Calculate the volumetric weight (volume × conversion factor)
- Compare the volumetric weight with the actual weight
- The chargeable weight is whichever of the two is higher