Short answer: CBM (cubic metres) is carton length × width × height in metres. A 20ft container takes about 26–28 m³ of toy cartons, a 40ft about 55–58 m³ and a 40HQ (high cube) about 65–68 m³ in practice, not the theoretical 33 / 67 / 76 m³ printed on spec sheets. Divide usable space by carton CBM to get cartons per container, then multiply by pieces per carton. For toys, CBM matters more than weight: almost every toy container “cubes out” long before it hits the weight limit.
CBM per carton = (L cm × W cm × H cm) ÷ 1,000,000. Example from our catalogue: a 2-piece animal figure set ships 60 pieces in a 59 × 42.5 × 73 cm carton = 0.183 m³. In a 40HQ with 66 m³ usable, that is about 360 cartons or 21,600 pieces if you loaded nothing else. Freight cost per piece = (ocean freight + local charges) ÷ pieces loaded, which is why pieces per carton and CBM per carton are the two numbers we print on every quote line.
| Container | Internal volume (spec) | Usable for mixed toy cartons | Max payload | Typical toy load |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20ft GP | 33 m³ | 26–28 m³ | ~28,000 kg | 1,500–3,500 kg, cubes out first |
| 40ft GP | 67 m³ | 55–58 m³ | ~26,000 kg | 3,000–6,000 kg |
| 40HQ | 76 m³ | 65–68 m³ | ~26,000 kg | 3,500–7,000 kg |
| LCL (shared) | Charged per CBM | Any size, min 1 m³ | — | Good for samples and trial orders under 12–15 m³ |
Why the gap between spec and usable? Cartons are not all the same size, so there are gaps; pallets (if used) eat 10–15%; and the door area and roof ribs cost a little. Plan on 85–90% of the spec figure and you will not be surprised at loading.
Take a 40HQ at, say, US$4,000 all-in to the US West Coast (rates change; use your forwarder’s current number). Loaded with 66 m³:
Same container, freight per piece from two cents to almost a dollar. This is why buyers combine bulky boxed items with dense fillers: the fillers bring the average down. Deflated inflatables, squishies and building block bags are the usual CBM fillers; boxed pretend-play sets and large plush are the bulky ones.
Under about 12–15 m³, LCL (less than container load) is usually cheaper even though the per-CBM rate is higher, because you avoid full-container fixed charges. Between 15 and 26 m³, a 20ft wins. Above 30 m³ the 40HQ is almost always the best value per cubic metre, and it is the container most Chenghai toy orders ship in.
Multiply L × W × H in inches, then divide by 61,024 to get cubic metres. Or convert each side to centimetres first (× 2.54) and use the cm formula.
Divide roughly 66 m³ by your carton CBM. At 0.1 m³ per carton that is about 660 cartons; at 0.05 m³ about 1,300.
A Chenghai trading company should. Every LeTin Toys quote lists pieces per carton, carton size, CBM and gross weight per line, and we prepare a loading plan before booking.
Cubic metre, the unit ocean freight is priced on for LCL and the unit that decides how much fits in a full container.
Need a loading plan for a first order? Send your product list and we return CBM per line and a container recommendation within one business day. Related: MOQ, CBM and lead times by category, shipping toys from China to Europe.