Freight Unit Converter

One cubic meter (CBM) equals approximately 35.3147 cubic feet. This is a fixed mathematical conversion, not something that varies by carrier, so the same factor applies whether you are converting an ocean LCL quote or an air freight volume figure.

One kilogram equals exactly 2.2046226 pounds, and one pound equals exactly 0.45359237 kilograms — both are defined constants, not approximations. Freight documents and customs forms will sometimes round these to 2.2 and 0.454 for readability, which is fine for most shipments but can matter on high-value or heavily regulated cargo where every kilogram is checked.

Most of the world outside the United States uses the metric system, and international freight documentation, container capacities, and ocean freight pricing (CBM-based) are built around it. US domestic legs and some US-originated paperwork still commonly use pounds and inches, which is why a converter between the two systems is useful even on the same shipment.

The underlying units are the same, but the conventions differ. Air freight commonly measures cargo in centimeters and kilograms and applies a volumetric divisor (often 6000) to get a chargeable weight, while ocean freight typically works directly in CBM for LCL pricing. Exact conventions vary by carrier and trade lane, so confirm which unit and divisor your forwarder is quoting against before comparing rates.