Los Angeles & 
Foshan
Glossary · Shipping
What is CBM (Cubic meter)?
The volume unit used to price and plan sea freight: length × width × height in meters, measured on the packed cartons, not on the product itself.
One CBM is a space of 1 m × 1 m × 1 m, about 35.3 cubic feet. Shipping volume is calculated from the outer dimensions of each packed carton or pallet: length × width × height in meters, multiplied by the number of cartons.
CBM drives the cost of LCL freight and tells you whether a load fits in a 20-foot or 40-foot container. In practice you cannot fill every cubic meter of a container, because cartons do not stack perfectly and pallets leave gaps.
Ask the factory early for packed carton dimensions, gross weight and units per carton. A change in packing, such as knock-down furniture or nesting chairs, can cut the CBM per unit more than any freight negotiation.
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