Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit (TEU)

Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit (TEU)

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    A Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit (TEU) is a standardized measurement used in the shipping and logistics industry to describe the capacity of container ships and terminals. One TEU represents the space taken up by a standard 20-foot shipping container.

    TEU = One 20-foot Container

    • Length: 20 feet (6.1 meters)

    • Width: 8 feet (2.44 meters)

    • Height: 8.5 feet (2.59 meters)

    • Volume: ~33 cubic meters

    • Max Gross Weight: ~24,000 kg (varies slightly by container type)

    Why TEU Matters

    TEU is the universal yardstick for:

    • Measuring ship capacity:
      Example: A vessel rated for 10,000 TEU can carry 10,000 standard 20-foot containers.

    • Terminal throughput:
      Ports use TEU to report how much cargo they've handled over a period (e.g., “Port of Shanghai handled 47 million TEU in 2023”).

    • Freight pricing and planning:
      Freight rates and space allocations are often quoted “per TEU” on FCL (Full Container Load) shipments.

    TEU vs. FEU

    • 1 TEU = 1x 20-foot container

    • 1 FEU (Forty-foot Equivalent Unit) = 2 TEUs
      A 40-foot container takes up the space of two TEUs, even though it's not exactly double in usable volume due to structural considerations.

    In Practical Terms

    If you're booking a container shipment from China to the UK or USA:

    • A 20-foot container = 1 TEU

    • A 40-foot container = 2 TEUs

    • Your freight forwarder may refer to “TEU capacity” when checking vessel space or negotiating rates



    References
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