Number twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of cargo containers transported by a road, railway, port, or airport during the reporting period.
Organizations should footnote all assumptions used, including source of data and specific means of transport.
This metric is intended to capture the volume of transportation in a particular market or context, which can help assess the productivity and efficiency of transport and logistics infrastructure. For example, this metric could capture whether, as result of an investment, a port is able to boost its productivity by increasing the number of twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU) handled per hour. TEU are equivalent to a standard-size shipping container. Transportation of goods may be by rail, road, air, or sea.
International Finance Institutions (IFIs) often use this metric as part of their transportation analysis.
June 2022 - IRIS v5.3 Released (current version)
Immaterial change. Minor revision to usage guidance for clarity.
January 2020 - IRIS v5.1 Released
New metric. Number of Containers Handled (OI7065) developed through partnership with HIPSO.
IRIS Metrics Work Better in Sets
To use IRIS metrics—and the resulting data—to understand impact performance, IRIS metrics should be used and analyzed in generally accepted sets and according to well-defined objectives. IRIS+ gives you access to generally accepted Core Metrics Sets aligned to common Impact Themes and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).