Watch: What Does TEU Mean in Shipping?
TEU means twenty-foot equivalent unit. It is a standardized measurement based on the space represented by one 20-foot shipping container.
Video Transcript
“How is container capacity measured in global shipping?
This short guide explains TEU, or twenty-foot equivalent unit—the standardized measurement based on the space represented by one 20-foot shipping container.
One 20-foot container equals one TEU, while one 40-foot container equals two TEUs.
Shipping lines use TEUs to describe container-vessel capacity, and ports use them to report container throughput.
TEU measures standardized container capacity.
It does not indicate cargo weight, commercial value or the exact number of physical containers.
A single 40-foot container represents two TEUs, and operational statistics may include both loaded and empty containers.”
How TEUs Are Calculated and Used
Read the complete TEU and FEU guide for more information about container-capacity measurements.
