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Chargeable Weight and Volume
Why the same shipment is calculated differently per transport mode.
The price of a shipment depends not only on its weight but also on the space it takes up. Light, bulky goods occupy loading space the carrier cannot sell to anyone else.
OYASO therefore derives two values from your entries and uses the higher one:
- Actual weight in kilograms, as you entered it.
- Volumetric weight, calculated from the length, width, and height of your packages.
The higher value appears in the Cwgt. field.
Conversion by transport mode
| Transport mode | Conversion | One cubic metre equals |
|---|---|---|
| Air freight | 1:6 | 167 kg |
| Sea freight | W/M | 1,000 kg |
| Rail | W/M | 1,000 kg |
| Road freight | 1:5 | 200 kg |
1:6 and 1:5 apply a fixed ratio between volume and weight. At 1:6 one cubic metre equals 167 kilograms; at 1:5 it equals 200 kilograms.
W/M stands for weight or measurement. Here, one freight ton of 1,000 kilograms is applied per cubic metre. This is standard in sea and rail freight.
An example
A pallet measures 100 × 100 × 100 centimetres and weighs 100 kilograms, giving one cubic metre.
| Transport mode | Actual weight | Volumetric weight | Chargeable weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air freight | 100 kg | 167 kg | 167 kg |
| Sea freight | 100 kg | 1,000 kg | 1,000 kg |
| Road freight | 100 kg | 200 kg | 200 kg |
The same pallet is therefore rated differently depending on the transport mode. Comparing price per kilogram across modes is not meaningful.
If the figure looks too high
Check the dimensions you entered. A typo in the height feeds straight into the volume.
Check whether you entered dimensions per package or for the whole shipment.
For sea freight, a jump to a multiple of 1,000 kilograms is normal. W/M rounds up to whole freight tons.