Tonnes

Tonnes are a unit of mass used in the metric system and in international trade. The tonne, symbol t, is defined as exactly 1,000 kilograms, making it a multiple of the kilogram rather than an SI base unit. Because it is a metric unit, it is widely used for measurements involving large masses, such as cargo, vehicles, agriculture, and scientific data.

The term tonne is typically spelled with the British English form tonne, while American English often uses ton or metric ton to avoid confusion with the Imperial ton. The symbol t is standard in most international contexts. A tonne is distinct from the US short ton (approximately 907.18 kg) and the UK long ton (approximately 1,016.05 kg).

Conversions to common units are straightforward: 1 t = 1,000 kg = about 2,204.62 pounds. For reference, 1 short ton is 0.90718474 t and 1 long ton is 1.01604691 t.

Tonnes appear in many uses, including transport logistics (tonnes per hour, tph), freight and shipping documentation, mining and agriculture, and energy metrics (tonne of oil equivalent, toe). Because the tonne is a practical mass unit for large quantities, it complements the SI kilogram in everyday technical and commercial contexts.

Overall, the tonne standardizes how large masses are reported and compared globally, while remaining distinct from the separate imperial and US customary ton units.