Pivot weight
The base weight of a ULD position: flat rate up to it, per-kilo overage above it.
Technical definition
Pivot weight: the threshold weight tied to a ULD rate. A flat 'pivot charge' applies up to that weight, and an 'over-pivot rate' applies to every kilogram above it. It allows rating by ULD position instead of by straight kilo. (Ref.: ULD rate structure, TACT / IATA cargo resolutions.)
In plain terms
When you book a ULD position (a pallet or container), the airline sets a 'pivot weight': a base weight included in a flat rate. If your cargo weighs less, you still pay that minimum; if it weighs more, you pay an overage on every additional kilo.
How it works in Chile
It explains why a PMC isn't simply charged 'by the kilo' and why filling the position properly pays off: load well below the pivot and you're paying for capacity you don't use; well above it and you're stacking overages. On cherries, where a PMC loads roughly 3,500–4,000 kg, running these numbers helps compare forwarder offers.
Common mistakes
- Comparing 'per kilo' rates without looking at the pivot or the over-pivot rate.
- Underusing the position (loading well below the pivot) and paying for idle capacity.
- Forgetting that the weight feeding the calculation is the chargeable weight, not the gross.