What does TEU stand for in container shipping?

In container shipping, TEU stands for twenty-foot equivalent unit.

A TEU is a standard measure of containerized cargo capacity based on the space occupied by a typical 20-foot intermodal container. Ports, carriers, and analysts use it to describe vessel capacity, terminal throughput, and container volumes, even though it is an approximate capacity unit rather than a precise volume or weight measurement.

A 40-foot container is normally counted as two TEUs and is often described as one FEU, or forty-foot equivalent unit. Container heights can vary, including high-cube versions, but these are still commonly counted as one TEU when their length corresponds to the 20-foot standard.

TEU does not mean that every container has exactly 20 feet of usable internal length, nor does it state how much cargo can be loaded by weight. Weight limits depend on container specifications, regulations, and the cargo itself. That is why shipping capacity is often discussed using both TEUs and mass measures.