Forty-foot Equivalent Unit

A Forty-foot Equivalent Unit (FEU) represents the capacity of one standard ISO 40-foot shipping container, equal to two TEU. The 40-foot container is the most common unit in deep-sea container trade due to its favourable relationship between tare weight, cargo capacity, and handling efficiency. ISO 668 defines the external dimensions, and ISO 1161 specifies the corner casting geometry that allows twistlocks and lashing equipment to engage universally across all terminal and ship interfaces. High-cube variants—at 9 feet 6 inches tall rather than the standard 8 feet 6 inches—are increasingly common for lightweight, voluminous cargo. For the chief mate, FEU positions must be identified in the bay plan so that the correct number of twistlocks—two at each corner—can be pre-positioned at each tier. A 40-foot container occupies two adjacent 20-foot bays in the same row; the loading computer must therefore model the FEU correctly to capture its weight distribution over both bays. Under the SOLAS VGM (Verified Gross Mass) requirements of SOLAS Chapter VI, the shipper must declare the verified weight of each FEU before vessel loading. The OOW should ensure that the loading plan has been checked for compliance with cell guide strength limits and maximum stack weights before authorising stevedores to load.