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What is a container number? Best guide to number & markings
November 25, 2022 in Blog, Container Logistics
A container number is extremely important in the shipping industry. Read this blog to find out everything about container numbers and other markings on shipping containers.
Around 80% of the world’s cargo is transported through shipping containers. With millions of containers in circulation globally, how do companies identify and keep track of their containers?
Well, this is where the role of a container number comes into play. Each container has a unique container number - a combination of numbers and letters. Container number not only helps identify containers but is also used for container and shipment tracking.
At xChange, we help you track your containers using your container number. But more on that later. For now, let’s take a detailed look at container numbers.
Table of Contents
What’s a container number?
Understanding the container number format
What are mandatory operational markings?
Role of container number in shipment tracking
Container tracking: Track shipments in real time with container number
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Container number: Common FAQs
What is a container number?
What does a container number consist of?
What’s the importance of container number?
What’s a container number?
A container number is a unique alpha-numeric combination of seven numbers and four letters used for identifying containers internationally. It’s assigned to each container by the classification agency International Standards Organization (ISO) through the Bureau International des Containers (BIC). The BIC uses the ISO 6346 standard when assigning the container numbers.
Container numbers provide valuable information about the cargo, transportation, ownership, and condition of the shipping container. Read on to find out how.
Understanding the container number format
Each container marking plays a significant role in transportation. Markings are important for monitoring and general safety of a container. Let’s have a look at each of these container markings individually to get an idea of what they mean.
Owner prefix code
The first three capital letters of the container number are known as the Owner Prefix Code. It helps identify the container owner. For example, ‘MAEU’ is the owner prefix code for Maersk. Each prefix code must be unique and registered with the BIC to avoid duplicates. For your understanding, we’ve taken ‘BIC’ as the owner code in our above-illustrated example.
You can always do a BIC search to identify the owner of a container here. But please note, the owner of the container may not necessarily operate it as they could have leased the container to another shipping line or operator.
Equipment category identifier
This is the letter that appears right after the Owner Prefix Code. In our example, it’s ‘U’ which stands for freight containers. Other categories are: J - detachable freight containers related equipment; and Z - trailers and chassis.
Together with the owner code, the category can be grouped under one term, known as an alpha prefix.
Serial number
Next, comes the serial or registration number. It’s a six-digit number decided by the owner of the container. In our example, ‘123456’ is the serial number of the container. A container owner can have up to 1 million serial number combinations!
Check digit
The last number of the container number- that’s placed out of the rest of the numbers on the right side is called the check digit. In our example, we’ve used ‘7’ as the check digit. It’s always boxed to ensure it stands out from the rest of the number. Although it seems insignificant, it is of vital importance. It allows operators, terminals, depots and other parties in the supply chain to automatically validate the container number.
If you type the BIC code and the 6-digit serial number into the BIC Check Digit Calculator, it’ll display the check digit which validates the container.
ISO Code
The ISO code is usually located below the container number. It’s a sequence of four letters or digits. It provides information about the container type and dimensions. The first character of ISO code represents the length of the unit and the second character represents the width or height. The third and fourth characters determine the type of container it is.
Let’s take an example of an ISO code ‘45G1’. Here, ‘45’ indicates that it’s a 45ft high cube container. ‘G1’ indicates that it’s a general-purpose container. Depending on the country, a container is labelled as Dry Van (DV), General Purpose (GP or G1), Standard (SD), or Dry Container (DC).
18 мар 2023
