What is TEU in Shipping – Everything You Wanted to Know

What is TEU in Shipping – Everything You Wanted to Know - Merchant Navy Info - blog
What is TEU in Shipping – Everything You Wanted to Know – Merchant Navy Info – blog

With developed economies and rapid industrialization, the freight transportation industry has experienced tremendous growth. 85% of international trade is carried out by sea, and the majority of cargo is transported in shipping containers. Container ships, which can carry thousands of TEUs, help transport large amounts of cargo from one point to another. The largest of these ships has space for approximately 23,000 TEU meaning. According to World Bank statistics, approximately 800 million TEU containers were shipped worldwide in 2019. 

The Origins Of The  Modern Intermodal Container 

The history of the TEU meaning dates back to the mid-1950s. Before shipping containers and TEU units came onto the market, cargo was typically loaded onto ships in boxes, crates, or barrels of various sizes and then hand-loaded onto trucks and ships. American transportation entrepreneur Malcolm MacLean developed the first corrugated steel container in 1955, which could be easily transported by truck or ship. He later on sold the idea of ​​his invention to the US military, which used these boxes to transport military equipment. In the 20 years since his invention, many types of containers have existed, with different sizes and locking mechanisms, creating problems when loading onto trucks and ships. Over the next year, these problems were gradually resolved.

Types Of Containers 

Different types of cargo are transported by land, sea, and air. Generally classified as dry, chilled, or frozen. Cargoes can be temperature sensitive, such as food, meat, and pharmaceuticals. Such temperature-sensitive cargo must be transported in containers that can withstand the temperature or humidity requirements of the cargo. Depending on customer requirements, containers of different types and sizes are used to transport different types of cargo. It is estimated that there are between 20 and 23 million TEUs in circulation worldwide.

Container Size 

The shipping container comes in two standard sizes: a 20-foot container and a 40-foot container. For shipping, TEU (20 Foot Equivalent Unit) and  FEU (40 Foot Equivalent Unit). A standard TEU or FEU is also known as a general-purpose container (20-foot or 40-foot GP container). TEU is a standard unit of measurement for counting containers of various capacities and expressing the total number of container ships and container terminals. It also provides a clear view of port activity from a throughput perspective. For example, China’s busiest container ports, Shanghai and Shenzhen, handle more than 65 million TEUs annually. Containers of various sizes are used around the world to transport goods, but TEU and FEU are the most common.

Shipping Containers Also Come In Other Sizes: 

40′ High Cube (40′ HC), 45′ High Cube (45′ HC), etc. Pallet Usually, general purpose TEU, in one stack, he can hold about 11 wooden pallets in one pickup. When stacking two pallets, the number of pallets can be up to 22. Again, many of these numbers depend on whether standard or euro pallets are used. It also depends on the height of each of the packed pallets.

The International  Organization for Standardization (ISO) must set standards for uniform pallet size and quality in ISO Standard 18333 in 2014, but standard and euro pallets have different sizes. The former measures 48 inches x 40 inches, and the latter measures 47.24 inches x 31.50 inches.

Container Load Capacity 

How much overall weight can a 20-foot container hold? Logistics and shipping companies typically load up to 24,000 kilograms (24  tons) of cargo into a single TEU. Any empty container of this size weighs 2280 kilograms (2.24  tons). Therefore, the total weight of a fully loaded 20-foot container is 26,280 kilograms (26.28  tons). The 20-foot container has a carrying capacity of 28,200 kilograms (28.2 tons) and a fully loaded gross weight of 30,480 kilograms (30.48  tons).

TEU Refrigerated Container And Dimensions 

The Refrigerated Container is sturdy and large. Portable refrigerator for transporting goods with special temperature requirements. Temperatures are typically maintained between -30°C and +30°C. The refrigerated containers will be cooled using electricity and fuel-powered generators as they are transported by land and sea on cargo ships. The Reefer Container uses a temperature recording device called a data logger to display and record the temperature within the refrigeration unit during transport. This data can often be downloaded to a PC for analysis. The size of most refrigerated containers around the world is TEU.

What Is  CSC Plate?

Containers used for transporting cargo are marked with a CSC plate, and  TEU is no exception. A CSC plate is a safety approval plate that contains container details such as B. Design, inspection date,  gross weight (total of container and its load), etc. This information is required at least. According to  CSC 1972 (Convention on Safe Containers), all containers used for the carriage of goods must be inspected every 30 months by a licensed inspector to prove their seaworthiness or seaworthiness.

What’s In A TEU?

Another difficult question is what fits in a TEU. This depends on several factors, such as packaging, cargo weight, and volume. For comparison, there are approximately 282 bags of flour of 100 kilograms each, 2820 bags of corn of 10 kilograms each, a large vehicle with sufficient cushioning around it to prevent scratches and damage, or approximately 100 washing machines. Let’s assume that they are stacked in two layers.

What GP TEU Can Hold

However, please note that these numbers are highly dependent on the individual packaging of the package and other factors.

Frequently Asked Questions 

1. What Does TEU Mean In Shipping?

TEU is an abbreviation for Container Shipping or Logistics, which means “Twenty Equipment Units” or  20-foot containers. TEU is the smallest piece of equipment used to transport goods.

2. What Is  A TEU Container Used For?

The TEU is a standard intermodal container used to transport goods and materials by sea, land, and air. Due to its specific dimensions,  it can be easily installed on ships, trucks, and transport companies.

3. Who Made His First TEU Container?

American transportation entrepreneur Malcolm MacLean developed the first steel container in 1955, which could be easily transported by truck or ship. He later sold the idea of ​​his invention to the US military, which used these boxes to transport military equipment.

4. What Are EUV And FEU?

Shipping containers come in two sizes. TEU or 20-foot equivalent units are the standard size for shipping containers. It is 20 feet long, 8 feet wide, and also 8 feet high. An FEU (40-foot equivalent unit) is twice the size of the TEU. It is 40 feet long, 8 feet wide, and 8 feet high.

5. Which Is The World’s Largest Container Ship?

The world’s largest container ship is currently the Ever Alot, built by CSSC and with a capacity of 24,004 TEU. However, the record for most containers transported in a single shipment is held by Ever Ace, who transported her 21,710 TEU  containers from Yantian to Europe.

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