Chargeable Weight
Chargeable weight is the higher of a shipment's gross weight and its volumetric weight, and it is the figure carriers actually bill.
Definition
Carriers charge for whichever is greater: the space your cargo occupies or the mass it weighs. The billable figure is called the chargeable weight.
A shipment of pillows is large but light, so volume drives the bill. A shipment of steel bolts is small but heavy, so weight drives it. The carrier always takes the larger number.
Formula
Chargeable weight = max(gross weight, volumetric weight)
Example
2.4 CBM weighing 300 kg: air freight applies the 6000 divisor giving 400 kg volumetric, so you are billed on 400 kg, not 300 kg.
When you will come across it
- Checking an air freight invoice where the billed weight exceeds what you weighed
- Quoting a customer who has given you carton dimensions but no weights
- Deciding whether compressing or repacking cargo will cut freight cost
Frequently asked questions
Why is my invoice weight higher than my actual weight?
Because the carrier used the volumetric weight. On light bulky goods the volume figure is larger than the gross weight, and carriers bill on the greater of the two.
How is chargeable weight calculated for sea LCL?
On a weight-or-measure basis where 1 CBM is treated as 1,000 kg. A 2 CBM shipment weighing 300 kg is billed as 2,000 kg.
Can I reduce my chargeable weight?
Only by reducing the driver of the bill. For volumetric cargo, smaller cartons or compression help. For heavy cargo, weight is weight and only packaging reduction will change it.