What is chargeable weight?
Chargeable weight is the weight carriers actually bill you for. They compute both your cargo's actual weight and its volumetric (dimensional) weight, then charge whichever is higher — so a large, light shipment can cost as much as a small, heavy one.
How is chargeable weight calculated?
Carriers bill the higher of actual weight and volumetric weight. Volumetric weight is total volume in cm³ divided by 6000 for air (IATA), 5000 for most express couriers, or 1000 kg per CBM for sea LCL. For air and express, the resulting chargeable weight is then rounded up to the next 0.5 kg, per IATA TACT rules.
Why divide by 6000 for air but 5000 for courier?
Express integrators like DHL, FedEx and UPS use a more aggressive 5000 divisor, which makes bulky parcels 20% 'heavier' on paper than under the IATA 6000 standard.
What is a revenue ton in sea freight?
Sea LCL is charged per revenue ton: the greater of 1 metric ton or 1 CBM. In practice most LCL cargo is volumetric, so you pay by CBM.
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