What is a TEU?
The Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit (TEU) is the shipping industry's baseline capacity metric. It represents one standard 20ft ISO dry van and is used to size vessels, terminals and trade flows.
What is an FEU?
The Forty-foot Equivalent Unit (FEU) refers to a 40ft ISO container. In slot terms 1 FEU = 2 TEU, though internal volume is slightly more than double a 20ft box because door and corner-post overheads are shared across a longer body.
How the conversion works
For a mixed fleet, total TEU = 20ft count + (40ft count × 2). Total volume and payload are derived from standard ISO container capacities.
Standard ISO container dimensions
- 20ft Dry Van: ~33.2 CBM internal volume, ~28,180 kg max payload
- 40ft Dry Van: ~67.7 CBM internal volume, ~28,750 kg max payload
Actual figures vary slightly by manufacturer, tare weight and container type (high-cube, reefer, open-top, flat-rack).
Choosing 20ft vs 40ft containers
Dense cargo (metals, paper, tiles, liquids in flexitanks) usually weighs out a 20ft box before it cubes out — 20ft units are the efficient choice. Low-density cargo (furniture, textiles, packaging) benefits from a 40ft or 40ft high-cube because cube is the limiting factor.
Frequently asked questions
What is a TEU?
A TEU (Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit) is the standard measure of container capacity based on a 20ft ISO dry van. It is used to quantify vessel capacity, port throughput and cargo volumes.
What is an FEU?
An FEU (Forty-foot Equivalent Unit) represents a 40ft ISO container. One FEU equals two TEUs in slot-count terms, though it offers more than double the internal volume of a single TEU.
How do I convert between TEU and FEU?
Divide TEU by 2 to get equivalent FEU, or multiply FEU by 2 to get equivalent TEU. This tool applies the conversion instantly and also estimates total CBM and maximum payload.
What are the standard capacities of 20ft and 40ft containers?
A standard 20ft dry van holds about 33.2 CBM with a maximum payload near 28,180 kg. A 40ft dry van holds about 67.7 CBM with a maximum payload near 28,750 kg.
When should I choose 40ft over 20ft containers?
Use 40ft containers for high-volume, low-density cargo where cube-out is the constraint. Use 20ft containers for dense cargo that would weigh out a 40ft box or when handling and storage favour smaller units.