Everyone who works with shipping containers uses container markings. All markings have a unique meaning. Understanding container markings is critical for handling containers, whether one is a hauler, exporter, importer, container depot, or a warehouse, and whether a crate is stationary or in motion.
Containers used in international transportation are required to include standard markings to:
- Provide a comfortable crate and cargo tracking
- Increase border protection measures and prevent illegal cargo traffic
- Increase the efficiency of port operations
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Related: Everything About Cargo Insurance
What Are Shipping Container Markings?
Compulsory container markings are on all containers visible primarily on the door.
Markings provide essential information to everyone in the supply chain that monitors the container and cargo safety from shipping to the final place of delivery.
The marks convey information requested for the movement of containers or to give visual warnings. They relate to
– the weight of containers
– a notice of overhead electrical danger
– a height mark for containers higher than 2.6 meters (8 ft 6 in)
What Are the List of Things on Shipping Container Markings?
There are various shipping container markings. Markings indicate ownership, weights, classification, and more.
Container Number
The container number is the prominent marking on the door and is an alphanumeric sequence made up of four letters and seven digits. The container number identification system was created by the International Standards Organization to avoid the codes being duplicated by a shipping line or container operator.
The system consists of the following:
- The owner code – 3 letters
- Equipment category – 1 letter
- Serial number – 6 numbers
- Check digit – 1 number
- The owner code – Registration of this code is from the Bureau International des Containers et du Transport Intermodal (BIC). Beware, the owner of the container is not necessarily the one using the crate. Instead, they could be leasing the container to another operator or shipping line.
Check Digit
The check digit is a part of the container number, but it’s a significant number as it determines if the container number identification sequence is valid or invalid.
Container Owner or Lessor
The container owner or lessor is the entity that owns or operates the container. It can be a shipping line or a container leasing company whose business is in leasing containers to shipping lines looking to increase their inventory but not their assets.
Related: Freight Forwarding
Max Gross
Max Gross is the maximum amount of weight that a container can carry, including its tare weight of 2,250 Kg. It is also the weight that the SOLAS VGM certificate must show.
ISO Code
According to the International Standards Organization (ISO), a container has a unique code to avoid ambiguity in naming the crate.
For example, a standard 20′ container is called Dry Van (DV), General Purpose (GP), Standard (SD), Normal, Dry Container (DC).
The ISO code is considered a standard and should not be used when sharing data across ports, customs, and shipping lines.
Classification Society Label
The classification society label is for type testing. That is, each container is tested for strength, cargo, and seaworthiness by a classification society. The label indicates which classification society certified the crate.
Weight of Container
The container’s weight is the actual weight of the empty container, which is provided by the manufacturer. The value is an essential consideration by planners and operators. For example, if a ship is carrying 24,000 TEUs and if the tare of each TEU (2,250 KG) is not considered, the vessel will have an unaccounted weight of 42,750 tons.
Maximum Payload
The maximum payload is the full weight of the cargo that can be packed into a container. Misdeclaration of this weight has severe consequences. The maximum load is the weight included on the bill of lading.
Cube
The cube is the maximum volume in the cubic capacity that can be packed into a container. While misdeclaration of volume may not have a physical consequence, there are financial consequences if the number on a bill of lading for the buyer or seller is inaccurate, primarily if the cargo is sold by volume.
Other Certifications
Per the International Convention on Safe Containers of 1972, every container should also have a valid safety approval plate called CSC, Container Safety Convention. This plate confirms a crate has been inspected and is in a suitable condition for transport on a ship’s board.
The plate also includes details of the owners, technical data, and information from the Approved Continuous Examination Program (ACEP), which establishes when a container was last examined at a container depot.
Other Markings
Most of the container markings are on the front door of a shipping container, but the full container number is located in several locations of the container:
- The roof of the container for the benefit of crane operators during loading and unloading operations.
- The inside the crate for the use of the packing people/surveyors
- The front of the container for the benefit of transporters, government authorities during transportation.
Other mandatory operational markings convey information requested for containers’ movement and provide visual warnings for crates’ weight, overhead electrical danger, and containers higher than 2.6 meters.
Related: Shipping Container Resources
Conclusion
All shipping marks serve two primary purposes. They are used as identification marks for carriers and others involved in the carriage and handling of containers while in transit. Markings are also used by the consignee to identify the corresponding order and ensure the correct delivery.
The goal of marks is to convey information requested for the containers’ movement quickly visually or to give visual warnings. As such, it is essential for all that is involved in handling containers to understand the meaning of shipping container marks.
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