Container basics
forty-foot equivalent unit (FEU)
A forty-foot equivalent unit is a unit of cargo capacity based on a 40-foot-long intermodal container. One FEU equals two TEU. Shipping lines, ports and freight forwarders use it, often next to TEU, to count containers of different lengths in one clear number.
Why it matters
FEU appears in freight quotes, port data and some lessor reports. It counts each 40-foot box as one unit. A port that handles 1,000 FEU has moved 1,000 40-foot containers, or 2,000 TEU. For portable storage operators, the main use is reading wholesale offers and trade reports that mix 20-foot and 40-foot units. If a supplier quotes a volume, ask whether the number counts boxes, TEU or FEU, and ask for the count of boxes by size. A common mistake is to compare a TEU number and an FEU number as if they used the same base. Convert first. Also remember that FEU counts length, not weight or load.
Read: Shipping container sizes and dimensions for rental fleets
Definition source: en.wikipedia.org
Related terms
twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU)
A twenty-foot equivalent unit is a general unit of cargo capacity based on a 20-foot-long intermodal container. It is mostly used for container ships and ports. A 20-foot container counts as one TEU, and a 40-foot container counts as two TEU.
40 ft container
A 40 ft container is a long ISO shipping container, 40 feet long and 8 feet wide. Standard height is 8 feet 6 inches. A high cube version is about 9 feet 6 inches tall. It holds roughly twice the length of a 20 ft box.
20 ft container
A 20 ft container is the standard short ISO shipping container. It is about 19 feet 10 1/2 inches long, 8 feet wide and 8 feet 6 inches tall on the outside. It is the most common size in portable storage and counts as one twenty-foot equivalent unit.
high cube container
A high cube container is a container that is taller than standard, usually 9 feet 6 inches tall outside, compared with 8 feet 6 inches for a standard unit. It is often written HC or HQ. The extra height adds inside room.
intermodal container
An intermodal container is a standardized, reusable container that can move between ships, trains and trucks without unloading the cargo. It has fittings for handling, securing and stacking. Most dry freight containers use a closed steel box with doors at one end.
shipping container
A shipping container is a standardized steel box used to move freight by ship, rail and truck without unloading the goods. Most are rectangular, closed boxes with doors at one end. Many are reused for storage after their sea service ends.
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