03 Mai How to Calculate Volumetric Weight? Or the different possibilities of transport tariffs…
Lorry transport:
– Per 100 kg
The price listed is for 100 kg of the real or the calculated volume weight of the goods to be transported.
This type of calculation basically rounds up to the next full 100kg.
– Per loading meter
Price per loading meter can be best compared to the renting of a room i.e. the price given refers to the
meter loading area of the lorry. Lorries have an inside width of 244 cm and an inside height of 240 cm.
That means one loading meter stands for a basic area of 2.43 m x 1m (maximum usage approx. 5.8m3).
– Rail motorcar
The prices given refer to the « rental » of a complete transport unit i.e. a lorry vehicle on a train (approx. 35m3)
or the trailer (approx. 51m3) regardless of the weight or volume (within the legal regulations).
– Full Lorry
Here the price for the usage of a full lorry (articulated road train or rail motorcar with trailer).
Transport by plane:
Prices (airfreight rates) are always quoted per kg/6 dm3 or the volume ratio 1: 6 or 1m3 = 167.0 kg.
So you either pay for the weight or for the space required for your consignment.
The calculation is based on the following equation regardless of whether
you are paying for the weight or the space:
Length (cm) x width (cm) x height (cm)
6000 Equals the volume weight in kg for Airfreight transport
Example1:
You are sending one crate weighing 80.0 kg, size 50 x 50 x 50 cm.
You multiply:
50 x 50 x 50 cm = 125,000 cm3
You divide: 125,000 cm3 by 6000 = 20.83 kg volume weight
As the actual weight of 80 kg is higher than the volume weight (20.83kg) the 80 kg are calculated
as the chargeable weight.
Example2:
You are sending eight boxes with a total weight of 45 kg. All the boxes are the same size
(each box is 60 x 40 x 20 cm).
You multiply:
8 boxes x 60 x 40 x 20cm = 384,000 cm3
You divide: 384,000 cm3 by 6000 = 64 kg volume weight
As the actual weight of 45 kg is lower than the volume weight (64kg)
the 64 kg are calculated as the chargeable weight.
Transport by ship:
In the case of ship transport the calculation is also based on the freight weight, whereby 1m3 = 1’000 kg.
The prices is listed as measurement- /weight rate (m/g) or (w/w).
The calculation of the transport prices is basically based on the weight of your consignment.
As the freight space available in the lorry, train, plane or container is limited, the volume of the goods to be
Transported sometimes also has to be considered
Additional examples of transport’s calculation costs :
Imagine there are a 500 kg anvil and a consignment of 500 kg of feather duvets for dispatch.
The feather duvets may have the same weight as the anvil but they need much more space.
In order to provide a remedy a calculation key was worked out in the transport branch, which changes the
space needed into freight weight (= volume weight). If this volume weight is higher than the real weight then
the volume weight is used in the calculation of the transport costs. Which details of the calculation factor used
in the calculation of the volume weight can be found in all the offers and price lists.
Please note that these can be listed differently.
Calculation of the volume weight:
Length x width x height (all in m) divided by the calculation factor for that specific means of transport
= volume weight in kg.
For example the calculation factor for the following is:
Ship 0,001
Lorry 0,003
Plane 0,006
An example by truck :
Calculation of a case 80x120x200 cm:
0,80 m x 1,20 m x 2,00 m = 1,92 m3
1,92: 0,003 = 640 kg
The volume weight is 640 kg.