Updated
Work out your chargeable weight
What volumetric weight is
A plane or container fills up by space as well as by weight. A big box of pillows weighs little but takes the room of something much heavier, so carriers charge on whichever is higher: the real weight, or a weight worked out from the size. That size-based figure is the volumetric weight (also called dimensional or DIM weight).
Volumetric weight (kg) = length × width × height in cm ÷ 5,000. We use 5,000 for Air and for Sea by kg.
Chargeable weight: the higher of the two
We compare the actual weight with the volumetric weight and charge the higher one, rounded up to the next whole kg.
Example
A 35.5 × 25.4 × 25.4 cm box that weighs 2 kg has a volumetric weight of 4.58 kg. It's charged as 5 kg: S$44.00 by air instead of S$21.80, or S$18.00 by sea instead of S$10.50.
We usually combine all your parcels into one shipment and measure it at our Guangzhou warehouse, so the final chargeable weight is worked out on the packed shipment. The calculator gives you a close estimate before you buy.
Volumetric weight of common box sizes
| Box | Size | Volumetric weight | Charged as (if lighter) | Air for that box |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small box | 30 × 20 × 15 cm | 1.80 kg | 2 kg | S$21.80 |
| Shoe box | 35 × 25 × 13 cm | 2.28 kg | 3 kg | S$30.60 |
| Medium carton | 40 × 30 × 30 cm | 7.20 kg | 8 kg | S$70.40 |
| Large carton | 60 × 40 × 40 cm | 19.20 kg | 20 kg | S$176.00 |
| Extra-large carton | 80 × 60 × 50 cm | 48.00 kg | 48 kg | S$408.00 |
"Charged as" applies when the box is lighter than its volumetric weight, which is common for clothes, bedding, toys and plastic homeware.
How to keep the chargeable weight down
- Ship together. On air, the first kg costs S$13.00; from 5 kg every kg is S$8.80. One combined shipment spreads that first-kg charge.
- Ask sellers for a snug box. An oversized carton raises the volumetric weight. Ask before they ship.
- Send bulky, light things by sea. 10 kg costs S$88.00 by air and S$30.50 by Sea by kg. Very bulky loads go by Sea LCL, charged per m³.
- Watch long parcels. A side over 140 cm, or 70 cm or more on two sides, or one box over 40 kg adds S$60.00 once per shipment on Air and Sea by kg.
Full air rates are on our air freight page.
Questions people ask
How do I calculate volumetric weight?
Multiply length × width × height in centimetres and divide by 5,000. A 40 × 30 × 30 cm box is 36,000 ÷ 5,000 = 7.2 kg.
Is the volumetric weight worked out per box or for the whole shipment?
For the shipment. We add up the boxes, compare the total actual weight with the total volumetric weight, take the higher and round up once to a whole kg.
Does sea freight use volumetric weight?
Sea by kg does, the same way as air. Sea LCL is charged on volume in m³ instead, or on the weight ÷ 500 when that's higher.
Is volumetric weight the same as dimensional weight?
Yes. Volumetric weight, dimensional weight and DIM weight are names for the same thing.
Do you charge on the weight shown on Track Parcel?
No. Those are rough intake records. We weigh and measure your packed shipment before we invoice.