Start with CBM
```
CBM = length (m) x width (m) x height (m)
```
For a carton of 0.60 x 0.40 x 0.30 m → 0.072 CBM. Two hundred cartons → 14.4 CBM.
Chargeable weight
- LCL sea: you pay per revenue ton — the greater of 1 CBM or 1,000 kg. A 14.4 CBM / 6,000 kg shipment is charged on 14.4 units, because volume exceeds weight.
- Air: volumetric weight = CBM x 167 kg (IATA divisor 6000 applied to cm). The same 14.4 CBM would be charged at about 2,405 kg by air even if it weighs 6,000 kg — here actual weight wins.
- Road (Europe): commonly CBM x 333 kg, but it varies by carrier — confirm the divisor.
Usable container capacity
Nominal internal volume is not what you can load. Realistic planning figures:
Equipment Nominal CBM Practical load Typical max payload
--- --- --- ---
20' standard ~33 25–28 CBM ~21–22 t (road limits often bite first)
40' standard ~67 54–58 CBM ~26–27 t
40' high cube ~76 60–66 CBM ~26–27 t
Two constraints apply at once: you run out of space or you run out of payload. Dense cargo (tiles, liquids, metals) hits the weight ceiling; light cargo (textiles, packaging) hits the volume ceiling. Also check the road weight limit at both ends — the container may be legal at sea and illegal on the truck.
The switch point
Compute the all-in LCL cost for your volume and compare it with a full 20'.
```
LCL total = (revenue tons x LCL rate) + origin fees + destination fees + CFS handling
FCL total = all-in 20' rate + THC both ends + haulage
```
Because LCL carries per-shipment fixed fees at both ends and CFS deconsolidation charges, the crossover in most trades lands somewhere around 13–18 CBM. Below that, LCL usually wins; above it, a 20' is often cheaper *and* faster, since it skips consolidation and deconsolidation days.
Beyond price
- Transit time: LCL adds several days at each CFS.
- Damage exposure: LCL cargo is handled more and travels beside unknown goods.
- Free time: FCL gets free days; LCL does not work that way.
- Duty timing: an FCL clears as one consignment, which is often simpler.
Pallet reality check
If you palletise, plan the floor: a 20' takes 10 standard EUR pallets in one layer (11 if you can interlock), a 40' takes 21–24. Palletising adds height and can cost 10–15% of usable volume — sometimes worth it for handling damage, sometimes not.
On Prebro
Freight requests on Prebro carry volume, weight and equipment, so you can put an LCL quote and an FCL quote for the same cargo next to each other and see the crossover directly instead of estimating it.
*References: IATA volumetric weight standard; carrier container specification sheets; SOLAS VGM.*