Container capacity needs a common measuring stick. A forty-foot equivalent unit, or FEU, is a standard measure representing the cargo capacity of a forty-foot intermodal container.

Industry statistics for vessel capacity, terminal throughput, and trade volumes are often expressed in twenty-foot equivalent units, with one FEU counting as two TEUs. High-cube forty-foot containers share the same footprint but offer extra height. Freight rates and slot allocations on ships frequently reference these units.

Understanding FEU and TEU figures allows planners to compare capacity across carriers and routes. Physical handling equipment is built around the same dimensional standards. The units remain the global language of containerized trade volume.

• Standard measure equal to one forty-foot container
• Counts as two twenty-foot equivalent units
• Used for vessel, terminal, and trade statistics
• Basis for capacity planning and rate structures