Shipping Modes
FEU (Forty-foot Equivalent Unit)
A unit of container capacity based on a forty-foot container. One FEU equals two TEU.
In depth
FEU counts capacity in forty-foot boxes rather than twenty-foot ones, so one FEU is exactly two TEU. It is used where forty-foot equipment dominates, which is true of most long-haul trade lanes, because quoting volumes in FEU reflects how cargo actually moves. Vessel capacity and terminal throughput are more commonly reported in TEU, so the two units appear side by side and are easy to confuse. Like TEU, FEU measures volume and capacity only — never weight or cargo value.
Key points
- One FEU equals two TEU
- Reflects how cargo moves on long-haul lanes dominated by 40ft boxes
- Vessel and terminal capacity is more often reported in TEU
- Measures capacity only, not weight or value