Question 1

Why does the chargeable weight differ between air and sea freight?

Accepted Answer

Air freight uses a DIM factor of 6000 (1 CBM = 167 kg) because aircraft volume is more expensive than weight capacity. Sea freight uses 1000 (1 CBM = 1000 kg) because ships have relatively more volume. Light, bulky cargo is penalized more heavily in air shipment.

Question 2

How can I reduce volumetric weight charges?

Accepted Answer

Use packaging that minimizes empty space — avoid oversized boxes, remove excess void fill, and consider vacuum-sealing where possible. Nesting irregularly shaped items and using flat-pack packaging can significantly reduce CBM and lower freight costs.