Before you book air or sea cargo from Pakistan, you need two numbers: how much space the cartons take, and what the airline will charge as weight. Families often send photos of boxes and then get a shock because a light quilt carton is billed on volume, not on the bathroom scale.
This planner is built for that problem. Add each carton, see cubic metres (CBM), air chargeable weight, and whether the load looks like a 20-foot or 40-foot container. It does not invent a rupee rate. WhatsApp the result and we quote from a real list.
CBM and chargeable-weight planner
Type quantity, centimetres (or inches) and kilograms. Totals update as you type. Air cargo bills the higher of actual kg and volume kg. This is a planner, not a booking price.
Air volume kg uses L × W × H (cm) ÷ 6000. A light, bulky carton can cost more than its scale weight. Usable container space is less than the brochure size because of bracing and the door.
Send these numbers on WhatsAppWhat CBM Means on a Sea Shipment
CBM is length × width × height in metres. One cubic metre is a box about 100 × 100 × 100 cm. Sea cargo in a shared container (LCL) is usually priced on CBM. A full container is priced as one unit, so CBM tells you whether you are wasting space or overflowing.
Usable Space Is Less Than the Brochure
A 20-foot container is often listed near 33 CBM. In a household load we plan on about 28 CBM usable once furniture is braced and the door can close. A 40-foot is planned nearer 58 CBM usable, not the full 67.
When a 20ft Is the Wrong Choice
If the planner shows you just over 28 CBM, paying for a 40-foot can be cheaper than leaving goods behind or booking a second LCL. That is a planning decision, not a rate card.
What Chargeable Weight Means on Air Cargo
Airlines charge the higher of actual kilograms and volume kilograms. Volume kilograms here use the common air formula: centimetres L × W × H ÷ 6000, which is the same as CBM × 167. A 50 × 50 × 50 cm carton that weighs 8 kg is treated as about 21 kg.
Why Quotes Differ
Two companies can measure the same pile and disagree if one uses inches, one forgets quantity, or one quotes only ocean freight. Compare door-to-door on the same CBM. See air freight or sea freight and how to pack cartons for sea cargo.
How to Measure at Home
- Measure the outside of the packed carton, not the item inside.
- Write quantity if you have six identical boxes.
- Weigh one box on a bathroom scale if you can, then multiply.
- Send the planner result plus photos for a written quote.
Conclusion
CBM tells you the sea picture. Chargeable weight tells you the air picture. Use both before you choose a mode. Cargo desk: +92 333 5371111.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is CBM in cargo?
Cubic metres: the space your packed goods take. Sea LCL is usually priced on CBM.
How is air chargeable weight calculated?
The higher of actual kg and volume kg (L × W × H in cm ÷ 6000).
How many CBM fit in a 20-foot container?
Brochure size is about 33 CBM. For a household load we plan around 28 CBM usable.
Is this calculator a shipping price?
No. It is a planning tool. The written quote needs your city, destination and packing.
Can I mix air and sea?
Yes. Urgent boxes by air, furniture by sea. The planner helps you split the list.
Who do I send the result to?
WhatsApp +92 333 5371111 with the CBM and chargeable weight the planner shows.