Gross Weight

Gross weight is the total weight of the goods as they are tendered for carriage. This includes not just the product itself, but all secondary materials such as shrink wrap, cardboard boxes, wooden pallets, and internal padding. In air freight, carriers price shipments using the greater of these two values: gross weight or volumetric weight. Gross weight focuses on the physical burden placed on the aircraft's engines and structure.

A FedEx Express shipment with AWB 023-45678901 has a gross weight of 485 kg, including 450 kg of automotive parts plus 35 kg for wooden crating and steel banding. Emirates SkyCargo processes cargo under AWB 176-23456789 where the declared gross weight of 1,247 kg includes the actual product weight plus pallets and protective foam packaging materials.

• total weight
• GWT
• gross mass

Does gross weight include the weight of pallets and packaging materials?

Yes, gross weight includes not just the product itself, but all secondary materials such as shrink wrap, cardboard boxes, wooden pallets, and internal padding. Actual weight is the gross weight of the shipment measured with scales. This includes pallets, cartons and any packing material.

How does gross weight compare to volumetric weight for air freight pricing?

The chargeable weight – and by extension freight charge – is based on the higher of two values: actual weight (gross weight) or volumetric weight (also known as dimensional or volume weight). For air freight, volumetric weight is based on an industry-standard density ratio set by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), which is typically 1 cubic meter (CBM) equivalent to approximately 166.67 kilograms.