What is Volumetric Weight in Shipping Packages? How is it Measured, and Does Reducing it Lower Shipping Costs?
The term volumetric weight is often confused by people looking to ship goods or personal belongings with the concept of actual weight, and some may believe that both terms are the same.
Although both terms are related to weight and are used to determine shipment charges, the difference lies in the fact that actual weight is the physical weight of the shipment measured in kilograms, while volumetric weight refers to how the dimensions of the shipment package (measured in cubic meters) correspond to its actual weight.
Accordingly, the volumetric weight of 100 kg of steel differs significantly from that of 100 kg of cotton. While both have the same actual weight (100 kg), their volumetric weights vary greatly.
This leads us to the key question: Does volumetric weight affect the shipping cost positively or negatively? And is the relationship between volumetric weight and cost directly proportional—meaning it increases with higher volumetric weight and decreases when reduced?
To answer this, it is important to know that all types of shipping worldwide, especially air freight, calculate shipping charges based on a balance between actual weight (kg) and volumetric weight (m³), using company-specific criteria.
Actual weight is calculated in kilograms, while volumetric weight reflects the space a shipment occupies. If volumetric weight exceeds actual weight, the shipping cost will inevitably increase.
Volumetric weight is calculated as follows:
(Length cm × Width cm × Height cm) ÷ 5000
The result is the volumetric weight. Some shipping companies adopt whichever is greater—volumetric or actual weight—for calculating shipping costs.
From this, we can conclude that shipping 100 kg of loose, uncompressed cotton would cost more than shipping the same 100 kg of compressed, properly packaged cotton.
Therefore, professional and proper packaging is extremely important in shipping procedures, as it plays a key role in reducing shipping costs. In most cases, it saves no less than 20%.
In this regard, Al-Manara Shipping Company provides customers with a free professional repackaging service to reduce volumetric weight. This service is part of a comprehensive package aimed at facilitating shipping operations and lowering costs and burdens for customers wherever possible.
