What Is Dimensional Weight Air Freight?
When shipping large, lightweight boxes via land, air freight or sea you can expect to pay for the dimensional weight of the package instead of the actual weight. Air freight companies commonly use dimensional pricing to cover the cost of the space the package takes up in the transport vehicle.
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How Dimensional Shipping Came About
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In the past, shipping costs were calculated mainly based on the weight of the package being shipped. Low weight packages were unprofitable for freight carriers as they take up space but due to their light weight they did not generate much revenue. Shippers worldwide adopted uniform dimensional weight standards to address this issue.
How Dimensional Weight Works
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Dimensional weight establishes a minimum charge related to the cubic space that the package takes up. Dimensional weight calculates the theoretical weight of the package. Theoretical weight calculates what the package would weigh if it had a minimum density that is set by the shipper. In the event that a packages weight falls below the minimum density chosen by the shipper, then dimensional weight pricing is used.
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Dimensional Measurements
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A freight carrier measures each of the package's axes and uses the longest dimension of each. These measurements are used to determine the volume of the package. If the package is rectangular, this will give an accurate measurement of volume.
Shipping Factor
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The shipping factor is the name given to the numerical factor that the shipper applies to the dimensions of the package to get the dimensional weight of the package. Shipping factors will vary by shipping companies. Check with your shipping company for a list of their factors.
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