TEU (Twenty-Foot Equivalent Unit) Calculator
Convert container loads between TEU, FEU (40ft), and mixed fleets. Calculate vessel capacity utilisation and container slot requirements.
Results
What is it?
TEU (Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit) is the standard unit for measuring container capacity. A 20-foot container = 1 TEU. A 40-foot container (FEU) = 2 TEU. Vessel capacities, port throughput, and freight rates are all quoted in TEU. A 40ft High-Cube is also counted as 2 TEU but has greater internal volume (2.9 m vs 2.4 m height).
How to use
Enter the number of containers by type. The calculator totals the TEU and physical box counts, and if you enter a vessel capacity, shows utilisation. This is useful for load planning, freight quoting, and vessel utilisation reporting.
Example scenario
A shipment of 10 × 20ft + 15 × 40ft + 5 × 40ft HC. Total TEU = 10 + 30 + 10 = 50 TEU. Total boxes = 30. On a 5,000 TEU vessel, utilisation = 50/5000 = 1.0%.
Pro tip
Freight rates (spot and contract) are always quoted per TEU or per FEU. When comparing quotes, always convert to a per-TEU basis. Stowage factor and weight/volume limitations mean that heavy cargo (steel, machinery) may hit weight limits before TEU limits — always check both.