What Does Desi Mean?
Desi is a measurement value used in cargo and logistics processes to take into account not only the actual weight of a shipment but also the volume it occupies during transportation. Especially for packages that are low in weight but occupy a large area, the actual kilogram value may not accurately reflect the capacity used by the carrier. For this reason, a volumetric value is calculated based on the width, length and height dimensions of the shipment and this value can be taken into account in pricing.
For example, a product that weighs a few kilograms but is sent in a large box may take up more space in the vehicle than another product that is heavier but has a smaller volume. Since the carrying capacity is not limited to just kilograms, it would not be correct for the operation to charge these two loads the same. Desi calculation ensures a more balanced pricing by including the space occupied by the shipment in the vehicle, warehouse or distribution center in the cost calculation.
Desi value is especially important in e-commerce, partial distribution and intensive cargo operations. If a business sends packages of hundreds of different sizes during the day, knowing only the total kilograms is not enough to plan the vehicle need. The total volume of packages can directly affect how many vehicles will be needed, vehicle occupancy and distribution cost.
Thanks to logistics programs, size, weight, number of parcels and package details of shipments can be kept together with operation records. This way, there is no need to manually calculate information for each shipment when pricing or planning vehicle capacity. Particularly in businesses with high shipment volumes, having accurate desi information on the system facilitates both offer and operation planning.
Why is Desi Account Important in Cargo and Logistics?
The main purpose of the Desi calculation is to determine how much space the shipment uses from its carrying capacity. Cargo vehicles, aircraft or different transport equipment are limited not only by the total weight they can carry, but also by their usable volume. A vehicle that is lightweight but dense with large packages can be completely filled in terms of volume before reaching the weight limit. For this reason, evaluating shipments only in kilograms may not indicate actual capacity usage.
For example, although many small and heavy parcels can be transported in the same vehicle, fewer shipments may need to be transported due to large volume boxes. Even if the vehicle is still suitable in terms of carrying weight, the physical inability to place new packages limits voyage capacity. Desi calculation helps to determine the transportation cost more realistically by making this space usage measurable.
For the sender, it is also important to make a desi calculation in advance for cost estimation. If the business prepares a budget based only on the net or gross kilograms of the product, it may encounter a higher fee than expected after the measurement made by the cargo company. This difference may be especially noticeable in furniture accessories, textile products, plastic parts, toys or light products carried in large packaging.
Desi calculation also allows evaluation of packaging efficiency. Using a box much larger than the product or leaving unnecessary space inside the box may increase the decimal value. For this reason, it is important not only to package the product safely, but also to use packaging of appropriate dimensions as much as possible.
For example, placing a product measuring 20 x 20 x 20 cm in a 50 x 50 x 50 cm box instead of a 25 x 25 x 25 cm box significantly increases the volumetric value, even if the actual weight does not change. In businesses that ship a large number of shipments, repeating similar packaging errors can create significant differences in monthly cargo expenses.
On the operations side, desi information can be used in vehicle occupancy planning. The total weight of one hundred shipments to be distributed daily may be below the vehicle capacity, but the total volume may exceed the usable space of the vehicle. Seeing this information before loading begins allows the need for additional vehicles to be determined in advance and to reduce last-minute vehicle organisations.
How to Make a Desi Calculation?
Desi calculation is made based on the external dimensions of the package. The width, length and height of the shipment are measured in centimeters and these three values are multiplied together. The volumetric value obtained is divided by the division coefficient used in the relevant carrier or transportation type to calculate the decimal or volumetric weight value.
The basic calculation can be expressed as follows:
Width x Length x Height / Coefficient Used
Since the coefficient used by cargo and transportation companies in Turkey may vary depending on the type of service, the current calculation method of the relevant carrier should be checked before shipment. The same package may be evaluated with different volumetric weight values in different transportation models or on different carriers.
For example, let's assume that there is a package that is 60 cm long, 40 cm wide and 30 cm high. The volume value of the package is found as 72,000 cm³ using the 60 x 40 x 30 process. In an operation where the carrier uses the coefficient of 3,000, when this value is divided by 3,000, 24 deci is obtained.
If the actual weight of the package is 12 kilograms, the volumetric value of 24 decimals may be taken as basis according to the carrier's pricing policy. When the actual weight of the same package is 30 kilograms, 30 kilograms may be taken into account in pricing since the actual kilogram value is higher. Therefore, when calculating the shipping cost, not only the decimal but also the actual weight must be known.
In shipments containing more than one parcel, each package must be measured accurately. Assuming that all parcels are the same size and calculating them based on a single value may lead to incorrect results if there are packages of different sizes. The total shipment value can be determined by calculating the volumetric value of each parcel separately.
When measuring, the actual external dimensions of the package during transportation should be used, not the product dimensions. If there is a piece sticking out of the box, protective packaging, foam or any other protrusion, the widest points can be taken as basis according to the carrier's measurement method. For this reason, there may be a difference between the calculation made before the product is packaged and the final measurement of the cargo company.
Similarly, in palletized shipments, the size of the boxes alone may not be sufficient. When the boxes are placed on the pallet, the total height, width and length of the pallet should be taken into account. If the products extend beyond the pallet or cannot be stacked on top of each other, the load may use more space in the vehicle.
Correct desi calculation at the offer stage reduces price differences that may arise later between the sender and the carrier. For this reason, it is especially important for businesses that make regular shipments to standardize package sizes and keep the calculation methods of the carriers used up to date in their systems.
Will Desi Calculation Change in International Transportation?
In international transportation, the principle of taking into account the volume of the shipment continues, but the calculation method used may vary depending on the transportation mode. The same cargo may be subject to different volumetric evaluation methods in road, air, sea and international express cargo operations. For this reason, it should not be assumed that the desi coefficient used in domestic cargo operations will be used directly in an international shipment.
Since volume capacity in air cargo is quite limited, volumetric weight is one of the basic elements of pricing. In common practices in international air cargo, the volume of packages is converted to weight and compared to the actual weight. Which value will be used in pricing is determined by the conditions of the carrier and the service.
For example, for an air cargo shipment whose actual weight is 40 kilograms but whose volumetric weight is calculated as 75 kilograms, the transportation fee may be based on 75 kilograms. On the other hand, it is possible to take the actual weight as a basis for a load that has a small volume but weighs 100 kilograms. This comparison allows the space used in the aircraft to be managed together with the weight capacity.
For international land transportation, only the classical desi account may not be used. For partial loads, different measurements such as kilograms, cubic meters, pallets or loading meters can be included in the pricing. Especially for products other than standard pallets, whether the load is stackable and how much floor space it uses in the vehicle becomes important in terms of cost.
In partial sea transportation, the volume and weight of the cargo are evaluated together. The cubic meter value of the shipment is important because the space occupied within the container directly affects pricing. Pricing very heavy but small volume loads and light but high volume loads may not result in the same pricing method.
Packaging selection is therefore even more important in international shipments. Unnecessarily large packages can increase not only the main freight cost but also the space used in transshipment, handling and warehouse processes. Companies that regularly export should examine their product packaging in terms of volume efficiency, which can reduce transportation costs in the long run.
In addition, when receiving a quote, it should be learned in advance which volumetric weight formula the carrier uses, how it evaluates pallet dimensions, and whether it uses a different application for non-stackable loads. Thus, the risk of encountering unexpected freight differences due to re-measurement after the cargo is delivered is reduced.
When decimal and volumetric weights are used correctly, not only pricing but also capacity planning is done more efficiently. Businesses can compare which shipping method is more economical by evaluating product, packaging, transportation mode and route information together. For this reason, the desi account is an important part of operation and cost planning rather than a simple cargo account, especially for businesses that ship regularly and in high volumes.
