Tare weight is the weight of an empty container, package, vehicle, or other shipping unit, excluding the goods inside it. In freight work, it is used to separate the weight of the packaging or transport equipment from the net weight of the cargo and the gross weight of the shipment as a whole.
Why tare weight matters in shipping
Accurate tare weight helps determine how much cargo is actually being moved and billed, especially when freight charges are based on weight, space, or a combination of both. It also supports proper load planning, since carriers and warehouse teams need to know the empty weight of pallets, drums, containers, trailers, and other equipment before adding cargo.
In ocean freight, tare weight may refer to the empty weight of a shipping container, which is different from the container’s payload capacity. In trucking and air cargo, the term can apply to the empty vehicle, pallet, or unit load device, depending on the document or operation involved. The exact method for recording tare weight can vary by carrier, equipment type, and local compliance rules.
Example in practice
If a palletized shipment has a total gross weight of 1,200 pounds and the pallets and shrink wrap weigh 80 pounds, the tare weight is 80 pounds and the net cargo weight is 1,120 pounds. On shipping documents, that distinction can affect declared shipment details, warehouse handling, and any calculation that depends on the true cargo weight rather than the total loaded weight.