What Is Volumetric Weight and How to Calculate It

Learn what is volumetric weight and how it is calculated in international shipping. We’ll also explain how to stay within shipping limits and what Meest UK offers for sea and air freight.

Have you ever sent a large box of lightweight items and wondered why shipping cost more than you expected? A blanket, some pillows, and a winter jacket might weigh just 5 kg but take up almost an entire box. The same 5 kg of books would fit into a much smaller package. These are two very different shipments because the space your parcel takes up also counts as much as its weight. Let’s look at how to check volumetric weight and what it means for your shipping costs.

What Is Volumetric Weight in Shipping

What is dimensional weight? It’s also called volumetric or dimensional weight. It’s based on the size of your parcel, not just what it weighs on a scale.

When you enter your parcel details on the Meest UK website, you need to add its length, width, and height, as well as its weight. Why? Because we need to know how much space your box will take up during transport. A big box takes up more room during shipping, even if it’s light. Since there’s only so much space on planes, ships, and delivery vehicles, shipping companies look at the size of each parcel too. 

Volumetric Weight vs. Actual Weight: Key Differences

Actual weight shows how much the box weighs. For example, a box of dishes with all the padding weighs 7 kg.

Volumetric weight in shipping shows how much space the box takes up, and it’s worked out from the length, width, and height of the box. For the same box of dishes, it could be 10 kg if the box is roomier than it needs to be. For international shipping, you pay for whichever number is bigger.

Here are a few examples:

So a heavy, compact parcel doesn’t always cost more than a light one. It all depends on how the weight compares to the size. We’ll show you how to find volumetric weight yourself in the next section.

How to Calculate Volumetric Weight: Formula and Examples

To make volumetric weight less of a mystery, all you need to do is measure your box. You can easily do it yourself at home. For air shipping with Meest UK, we use this volumetric weight formula:

Length × width × height (cm) ÷ 5000 = volumetric weight (kg)

All three measurements need to be in centimetres. You’ll get the result in kilograms.

Example 1: A Big Box with Light Things

Say you’re packing a duvet, two pillows and a few jumpers. The box is 40 × 30 × 50 cm. On the scale, it’s 8 kg.

Let’s do the maths: 40 × 30 × 50 ÷ 5000 = 12 kg.

So the volumetric weight is 12 kg. That’s more than 8 kg, so you pay for 12 kg.

Example 2: A small box with heavy things

Now take a small box of books or tools. It’s 30 × 20 × 20 cm, and it weighs 5 kg.

Let’s do the maths: 30 × 20 × 20 ÷ 5000 = 2.4 kg.

The volumetric weight is 2.4 kg, but the box really weighs 5 kg. This time you pay for 5 kg.

The formula is the same for both boxes. What’s different is what’s inside and how it’s packed.

How to Measure Your Parcel

Measure the box after you’ve packed it, not before. You need the outside length, width, and height.

A few tips:

• Measure the longest sides.
• Count any bulges and flaps.
• Don’t squeeze the box to make it smaller. It’ll pop back anyway.
• Don’t round the numbers. A few centimetres can change the result.

Say you measure 39 × 29 × 49 cm. Don’t write 35 × 25 × 45 cm just because it’s easier to count. Use the real numbers, and the price you work out will be closer to the real one.

How Volumetric Weight Affects Shipping Costs

You already know how to measure both weights and why you need to do it. So let’s look at how does volumetric weight affect shipping cost. When a parcel takes up a lot of space but doesn’t weigh much, its volumetric weight can end up higher than its actual weight. In that case, the volumetric weight is the one that sets your price.

Say you’re sending a box of clothes from Manchester to Poland. On the scale it’s 6 kg, but because it’s so big, the volumetric weight is 11 kg. For air shipping, the higher number counts, so you pay for 11 kg.

Now say you’re packing 11 kg of kitchenware into a compact box with a volumetric weight of 6 kg. Here the actual weight counts. That’s why it’s worth checking both numbers before you send, and not just trusting your bathroom scales.

The weight you’re charged for is called the chargeable weight. If you want to know how to calculate chargeable weight for air freight, it takes four steps:

1. Weigh the parcel after it’s fully packed.
2. Measure its length, width, and height.
3. Work out the volumetric weight using the carrier’s formula.
4. Compare the actual and volumetric weight, and pick the bigger one.

One thing to remember: the 5000 divider is only for Meest UK air shipping. Don’t use it for any other kind of delivery.

How to Calculate Chargeable Weight for Sea Freight?

What about shipping by sea? At Meest, the same formula is used for sea parcels as for air. So a 40 × 30 × 50 cm box has a volumetric weight of 12 kg, and if it’s lighter on the scale, you’re charged for 12. The formula isn’t what’s different; the price and the speed are: sea is cheaper, but it takes longer. 

For commercial sea shipments, volume is usually measured in cubic metres (CBM). Just multiply the length, width, and height in metres. Then compare the result with the weight in tonnes. One cubic metre counts as 1,000 kg. 

When you fill in the parcel form in Meest Portal, you enter everything: size (length, width, and height), weight, and addresses. Then you pick a delivery option and see right away how it changes the price.

International Parcel Shipping: Weight Limits, Package Dimensions, and Delivery Rates with Meest

Before sending your parcel, check the weight and size limits. With Meest UK, one parcel can weigh up to 30 kg. There are size limits too: the longest side must not be more than 150 cm, and the total of the length, width, and height must not exceed 300 cm. If your parcel is too big for air shipping, you may still be able to send it by sea, as the size limits can be different.

And how much will delivery cost? It depends on the country you're sending to, the parcel's chargeable weight, and the shipping method. Extra services, such as courier collection from your home, can also add to the price.

Important! Check what you can send to the destination country before packing. For example, food, cosmetics, medicines, batteries, and other items may have their own shipping restrictions. Even if your parcel meets the weight and size limits, its contents may still cause problems with delivery.

Tips to Reduce Your Parcel Size

Want to spend less on shipping? You don't always have to leave half your things behind. Sometimes, packing them a little smarter is enough:

• Choose the right box size. A big box doesn't make your things VIP. It just takes up more space.
• Pack clothes tightly. You can fold jackets, towels, and bed linen more compactly. Vacuum bags can also help with textiles, as long as they don't damage them.
• Take items apart if you can. Remove legs, handles, and other detachable parts to make them smaller.
• Use empty space. Small, soft items can go inside shoes or other hollow items.
• Keep things protected. Don't remove packing materials just to save a few centimetres. A broken gift is definitely not what anyone wants to receive.

Sending one large parcel may not be cheaper than sending two smaller ones. You pay for each parcel separately, so splitting it up can cost more. Still, if your parcel is over the weight or size limit, sending it in two parts may be the only way. 

How to Check Volumetric Weight Before Shipping

Don't leave measuring your parcel until the courier is already at your door. It's much easier to repack things at home than to find out your parcel doesn't meet the requirements when it's all ready to go.

So, before booking delivery, check everything. Weigh the fully packed parcel, measure its outside dimensions, and calculate its volumetric weight. Then compare the results with the limits for the destination country.

You can enter your parcel details and arrange international shipping through the Meest Portal. Once it's on its way, use your tracking number to follow its journey.

Meest UK accepts international parcels from cities across the UK, including London, Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, and Glasgow. We also work with many partner drop-off points across the country, so you can take your parcel to a nearby location and leave it there for shipping.

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