GlossaryEN1 min readUpdated: Jun 22, 2026
Container identification
At the port gate or on a customs entry, the first thing needed is the container's standardized identifier: the ISO 6346-compliant container identification.
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Source: https://www.iso.org/standard/20453.html
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At the port gate or on a customs entry, the first thing needed is the container's standardized identifier: the ISO 6346-compliant container identification. It consists of four letters – three for the owner code and one for the equipment category – a six-digit serial number, and a check digit that catches transcription errors. Shipping lines, freight forwarders, and customs authorities use this code to trace equipment from first loading through every transshipment port to depot return. On bills of lading and import declarations, the number must exactly match the physical box – any discrepancy can trigger a hold and re-inspection. Container identification is distinct from the BIC code, which designates the operator, and from the ILU code used for swap bodies and semi-trailers in European intermodal transport.
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