If you've ever shipped pallets across Europe, you've been quoted in loading metres. But most explanations online skip the part that actually matters — how LDM affects your freight cost.
The formula
LDM = (Length × Width × Quantity) ÷ 2.4
Where 2.4m is the standard European trailer width (EN 283). One loading metre = a 1m strip of trailer floor, full width.
A single Euro pallet (1200 × 800mm): 0.4 LDM.
Why this matters for pricing
European groupage carriers quote per-LDM. A typical UK→Germany lane might be £35-45 per LDM. So 8 Euro pallets = 3.2 LDM = roughly £112-144 before surcharges.
But here's what most calculators don't tell you: stackability halves your cost. If those 8 pallets are stackable (factor 2), your LDM drops to 1.6 = £56-72. However, your weight-per-LDM jumps to 2,000 kg/LDM, which may trigger a weight surcharge.
Both space AND weight must be considered together.
The free tool
I built a free LDM calculator at freightutils.com/ldm that handles all of this — Euro/UK/US pallets, stackability, weight checks, and 6 vehicle types including US 53ft trailers.
It's also available as a free REST API:
curl "https://www.freightutils.com/api/ldm?pallet=euro&qty=8&stackable=true&weight=400"
No auth, no signup. JSON response with LDM, utilisation %, pallet spaces, and weight warnings.
Full API docs: freightutils.com/api-docs
Built by a freight transport planner working night shifts at Heathrow. If you're building freight software and need reliable calculations, the entire API is free and open.
