Operator glossary
Container sizes & CBM math
20GP, 40GP, 40HQ and the cubic-meter arithmetic behind every 'should we fill a container' decision — usable capacity, not nameplate capacity, is the number that matters.
The standard menu: 20GP (~33 CBM nominal, ~26–28 usable), 40GP (~67 nominal, ~55–58 usable), 40HQ (~76 nominal, ~65–68 usable) — the gap being irregular carton stacking and loading reality. Per-CBM cost falls as the box grows, which is why the 40HQ is cross-border e-commerce's default whenever volume justifies it.
The working math: units per container = usable CBM ÷ carton CBM × units per carton; landed freight per unit = container all-in ÷ those units. The decision threshold against LCL: full containers win on per-CBM price and handling risk (your cargo, sealed, untouched) once you clear roughly half a 20GP — below that, LCL's pay-for-what-you-use flexibility wins despite the per-CBM premium.
The numbers
- Usable ≈ 26–28 CBM (20GP), 55–58 (40GP), 65–68 (40HQ) — plan on usable, not nominal.
- FCL beats LCL on per-CBM price + sealed-box handling once volume clears roughly half a 20GP.