Chargeable weight

To find it, measure every piece, work out the volumetric weight with the ratio for the mode, and compare it with the gross weight on the scale. Most air freight uses 1:6000, about 167 kg per cubic meter; express couriers commonly use 1:5000, and European road groupage 1:3000, or 333 kg per cubic meter. Airlines usually round the result up to the next half kilogram.

Chargeable weight is the outcome, not one of the inputs: volumetric weight and gross weight are the two figures compared, and the higher becomes the chargeable weight. Sea LCL applies the same idea through weight or measure, in revenue tons. Full container and full truck rates are priced per unit instead, so chargeable weight does not apply to them; only payload limits do.

Example: two pallets of 120 × 80 × 100 cm weighing 150 kg each go by air. Their volume is 2 × 0.96 = 1.92 m³, so the volumetric weight is 1,920,000 ÷ 6,000 = 320 kg against 300 kg gross, and the airline bills 320 kg. At an express ratio of 1:5000 the same pallets would bill as 384 kg. Carriers re-measure cargo, so quote on real dimensions.