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What is TEU? How is it Calculated?

20.06.2025
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What is TEU? How is it Calculated?

Container transportation has become an important component of international trade today. It relies on the use of standard-sized containers transferred between different modes of transportation. The basic unit used to measure the efficiency and capacity of container transportation is known as TEU (Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit). TEU is the measurement unit for a 20-foot container and allows for comparison of the sizes of transported containers. 

What is TEU?

TEU stands for “Twenty-Foot Equivalent Unit” and is used as the measurement unit for a container that is twenty feet long. This term derives from the initials of the English phrase “Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit.” One TEU represents a container capacity of approximately 33 cubic meters. This unit, widely used in maritime transportation, refers to a container with volume and is a fundamental measurement standard in the logistics sector. It is used as a standard unit for containers of different sizes and capacities in international trade and transportation, making it easier to calculate ships' load capacities and port handling volumes.

What is 40 TEU?

TEU stands for Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit. It is used to refer to a 40-foot container, which is approximately 12 meters long according to international standards. The term TEU is used in container transportation to calculate capacity and was derived as a standard for 40-foot containers. 40 TEU containers are widely used worldwide for high-volume cargo transportation to ensure efficiency.

How is TEU Calculation Done?

TEU calculation is a simple process and is a standard unit used to measure the capacity of containers in maritime transportation. A standard 20-foot-long container, measuring 6.1 meters, is accepted as 1 TEU. All containers must conform to certain standards; otherwise, if a container is smaller or larger, it is not expressed as TEU. For example, each TEU is 20 feet long, so a 40-foot (12.2 m) container equals 2 TEU, and a 45-foot (13.7 m) container equals 2.25 TEU.

When performing calculations, container dimensions are important: Container Size Length (feet) Length (meters) TEU calculation table can be used. A 20-foot container is calculated as 20 ft / 6.1 m / 1 TEU, a 40-foot container as 40 ft / 12.2 m / 2 TEU, a 45-foot container as 45 ft / 13.7 m / 2.25 TEU, and a 53-foot container as 53 ft / 16.2 m / not expressed in TEU. The total capacity can be determined with the following formula: Two 20-foot containers = 2 x 20 ft / 2 x 6.1 m / 2 TEU, and a 20-foot container plus a 40-foot container = 20 ft + 40 ft / 6.1 m + 12.2 m / 3 TEU.

How Many Tons is 1 TEU?

When asking “1 TEU How Many Tons?”, it refers to an important measurement unit used in container transportation. One 20-foot container or 1 TEU is a standard load unit. These containers are widely used in the logistics sector. The empty weight of a 20-foot container equals 2.5 tons. This weight indicates the container's structural weight and is important for calculating loading capacity. These standard containers have a loading capacity of up to 27 tons. Therefore, a maximum of 27 tons of cargo can be placed inside a TEU, which constitutes an important logistics standard for international trade.

How Many TEU is a 40-Foot Container?

A 6.1-meter-long ISO container equals 1 TEU. Since a 40-foot container is approximately 12 meters long, it is equivalent to 2 TEU. Considering port stacking capacity, two 40-foot (12 m) containers stacked on top of two 20-foot containers. These four containers represent 6 TEU. In other words, 40-foot containers provide more capacity within the same footprint.

How Many TEU Does a Ship Hold?

A ship's capacity in container transportation is measured in TEU. Modern mega container ships can carry over 20,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU). Among the largest container ships in the world are giants like MSC Gülsün and HMM Algeciras. Each of these ships has a capacity of up to 23,000 TEU. TEU capacity is one of the most important factors determining a ship's economic efficiency. Ships with high TEU capacity benefit from economies of scale, reducing unit transportation costs.

 

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