How we calculate TEU
TEU is not directly included in US customs bill of lading data.
To provide a standardized container volume metric, we estimate TEU using available shipment and container information.
When container dimensions are available, TEU is mapped from standard container sizes. When dimensions are missing, TEU is estimated from shipment weight using a maximum payload per TEU.
When container size is available
If the source documentation includes container dimensions (length, width, and height in feet), we determine TEU using the reference table below. The TEU value corresponds to the matching combination of dimensions.
| TEU | Length (ft) | Width (ft) | Height (ft) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.25 | 5 | 8 | 8.5 |
| 0.94 | 20 | 8 | 8 |
| 1 | 20 | 8 | 8.5 |
| 1.02 | 20 | 8.17 | 8.5 |
| 1.06 | 20 | 8 | 9 |
| 1.88 | 40 | 8 | 8 |
| 2 | 40 | 8 | 8.5 |
| 2.12 | 45 | 8 | 8 |
| 2.12 | 40 | 8 | 9 |
| 2.24 | 40 | 8 | 9.5 |
| 2.28 | 40 | 8.17 | 9.5 |
| 2.38 | 45 | 8 | 9 |
| 2.51 | 45 | 8 | 9.5 |
| 2.57 | 45 | 8.17 | 9.5 |
| 2.59 | 45 | 8.17 | 9.58 |
| 2.86 | 49.58 | 8.25 | 9.5 |
When container size is not in source documentation
If container size is not present in the source documentation, we calculate TEU from total weight using the maximum payload per TEU.
TEU = Total Weight ÷ 21,600
where 21,600 is the max payload per TEU, in the same units as Total Weight.
Use the total weight in the same units as the max payload (21,600), divide by 21,600, and you get the TEU value.