TEU, or a twenty foot equivalent unit, is the standard measure of container capacity on a ship. In other words, it tells you how many 20-foot-long containers can fit on particular container ships. TEU is important because it allows for easy comparison of vessel sizes.
For example, if one container ship has a capacity of 1,000 TEU and another container ship has a capacity of 2,000 TEU, you know that the second ship can hold twice as many containers. In this blog post, we’ll take a closer look at the history and development of TEU as a measure of capacity on container ships.
We’ll also examine some of the largest vessels in the world and see just how much cargo they can carry. So whether you’re a maritime enthusiast or just curious about how big these ships are, read on for everything you need to know about TEU.
WHAT IS TEU?
A TEU is a standard size for a shipping container. It stands for “twenty-foot equivalent unit” and is the most common type of container used on cargo ships. Therefore, TEUs are sometimes called “unit loads” or “intermodal containers.” A TEU measures 20 feet long, 8 feet wide, and 8 feet tall. TEUs are used to measure the capacity of a ship or the amount of freight a vessel can carry. For example, a ship carrying 3,000 TEUs of cargo is said to have a capacity of 3,000 TEUs.
The term “TEU” also is used to describe the number of containers loaded onto or discharged from a ship simultaneously. For example, if a vessel is loaded with 1,000 20-foot containers, the ship’s load is said to be 1,000 TEUs.
THE HISTORY OF TEU
Malcolm McLean’s idea for standard-sized containers that one can use for multiple forms of transportation revolutionized the shipping industry. Before his innovation, commodities were loaded and unloaded by hand, often resulting in damage or lost cargo.
By designing containers that people could quickly transfer between modes of transport, McLean created a more efficient and reliable system for shipping goods. As a result, a new era in ocean freight began in April 1956 when the Ideal X set sail on the inaugural journey of containerized cargo from New Jersey to Houston.
His idea soon caught on, and today, people use TEU containers worldwide. Over 80 years after McLean founded it, TEU remains an essential part of the global shipping industry, transporting billions of tons of cargo annually. McLean’s visionary thinking has transformed what was once a time-consuming and unreliable process into a streamlined and efficient operation.
TEU IN VESSEL SIZE AND CARRYING CAPACITY
Here are various vessel sizes and how TEU categorizes them.
- Small Feeder: This feeder has a carrying capacity of 300 TEUs.
- Feeder: These vessels have a capacity of less than 500 TEUs.
- Feedermax: These vessels have a capacity of 500-999 TEUs.
- Panamax Vessels: These vessels have a capacity of more than 3,000 TEUs
- Post-Panamax Vessels: These vessels have a capacity of 3,000- 7,999 TEUs. Others range from 8,000-9,999 TEUs
- Super Post-Panamax: These vessels have a capacity of over 10,000 TEUs.