What is Gross Weight?

The gross weight is the total weight of the goods carried, including all packaging but excluding the tare weight of the transport unit. Gross weight simply means the total weight of a load. In shipping, gross weight include the weight of the actual product being transported and the package used in wrapping it. Gross weight calculation depends on the type of transport system.

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Key takeaways:

The word gross means total. Thus, gross weight means total weight. The gross weight will include all aspects required for shipping. It includes the actual product, its packaging and any other packaging required to enable the shipping of the product.

Gross Weight, when referring to a cargo, is the total weight of the raw cargo (example – Peppadews) + the weight of bottles or cans that it is packed in.. If the bottles and cans are further packed into cartons which are placed on a pallet, then the weight of the peppadews + bottles + cartons + pallets = gross weight.

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The difference in the meaning of gross weight, based on the type of transport system is:

For the air transport, gross weight is the summation of the aircraft, fuel, crew, passengers and cargo weights.

For the rail and road transport, it is the summation weights of the actual goods and the wagon or vehicle.

For the waterway transport, it is either the weight of the product and package or the container weight.

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The Difference Between Gross Weight, Net Weight and Net Weight:

Gross Weight is the total weight of a shipment of goods, including their packaging such as crates, pallets etc. Net Weight is the weight, or mass, of the goods themselves without any packaging. Tare is the weight of packaging or a container without the goods.