Shipping Modes
TEU (Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit)
A standard measure of container capacity. One 20ft container equals 1 TEU; a 40ft container equals 2 TEU. Used to describe port throughput and vessel capacity.
In depth
TEU standardises container fleet and port capacity metrics. Analysts quote world trade growth in TEU; carriers plan vessel size in TEU capacity. A 40ft container counts as 2 TEU even though it is one physical box.
Key points
- 1 x 20ft container = 1 TEU; 1 x 40ft = 2 TEU
- FEU (forty-foot equivalent) is sometimes used for 40ft-only metrics
- Vessel size is described in TEU capacity (e.g. 14,000 TEU mega-ship)
- Helps compare efficiency across ports and shipping lines
Related terms
FCLFEU