Logistics Glossary

Tare Weight

Tare weight can be a difficult subject to try and explain, from tare weight meaning to the calculation of it. But we are here to explain and simplify this puzzle for you and answer the most asked questions.

What Is Tare Weight?

The weight of an empty container, car, or any other vehicle is referred to as tare weight. Sometimes the term unladen weight is also used. The tare weight must be shown on a container according to international shipping regulations. To get the gross chargeable weight, you must add the container's unladen weight and the weight of the cargo.

How Is Tare Weight Being Calculated?

Firstly, you should precisely know your cargo's gross and net weight to make a tare weight calculation. As stated before, every container must have a plate with its unladen weight.

You should subtract the net weight from the gross weight to get the tare weight:

- The tare weight of a container is its own weight and may include pallets, cases, or crates
- The net weight is the weight of all the goods that will be shipped and does not include packaging such as pallets etc.
- The weight of the goods plus the weight of the container and that of the packaging ultimately gives you the gross weight

What Is the Difference Between Tare Weight, Gross Weight, and Net Weight?

Here follows a significantly simplified explanation of each term.

What Is Gross Weight?

The term gross weight, or laden weight, refers to the total weight of cargo. Different transport methods have different items that will be added up to get the gross weight:

- Air transport - the weight of aircraft, passengers, crew, fuel, packaging, and the product weight
- Road and rail transport - vehicle or wagon weight plus unladen weight and product weight
- Water transport - container or package weight (unladen weight) plus product weight

What Is Net Weight?

The product weight alone and no packaging or container weight are considered to determine the net weight.

Tare weight then differs from gross weight and net weight by being the weight of the packaging and container itself. No product or vehicle weight is taken into consideration.

The transportation of goods should not be a headache, and calculating weight is easy. We are sure you have a firm understanding of the different weight terms and use now.