CONTAINERS TYPES / FITINGS / STOWAGE/MARKINGS

An example tracking system could be typically: : XXYYZZ

The first two numbers of the six-digit number (XX) : The ‘Bay’ of stowage.
The second two numbers (YY) : The ‘cell’ / Row of stowage
The last two numbers (ZZ) : The Level / Tier of stowage
Working stowage plans are drawn up to assist in advance planning. Master plans defini vely document
the posi oning of containers on board.

The bay-row- er system follows a system of numerical coordinates rela ng to length, width and
height. The stowage space of the container on board the ship is unambiguously stated in numbers and
is (almost always) recorded in the shipping documents. It is then also possible to establish at a later
date where the container was carried during mari me transport.

Principle of bay-row- er coordinates

According to this principle, bays are the container blocks in the transverse direc on, rows are the
lengthwise rows and ers are the ver cal layers.
 Thirty-eight 20' container bays on a ship

Theore cally, the thirty-eight bays could be numbered con nuously from 1 to 38. However, that would
only be sensible if only 20' containers could actually be loaded.

Nineteen 40' container bays on a ship

If the ship could only transport 40' containers, the nineteen bays could be numbered con nuously
from 1 to 19.

Bay numbering system

Since, however, the ship can transport both 20' and 40' containers, the bay spaces for 20' containers
are numbered throughout fore to a with odd numbers, i.e. in this case 01, 03, 05 and so on up to 75.
The bay spaces for 40' containers are numbered throughout with even numbers: 02, 04, 06 and so on
up to 74.

The purple 20' container in the first bay has the bay number 01. The light-brown 20' container in the
second bay has the bay number 03 and the light-blue 40' container, which occupies a space in the first
and second bays, has the bay number 02. The magenta-colored container has the bay number 25, the
dark-green number 27 and the light-green number 26.
To illustrate a cross-sec on through a bay, one needs to imagine that one is standing in front of or
behind the ship.

In the case of bay plans, the respec ve bay is always

viewed from behind.
The rows of containers on a ship are numbered with even numbers from the center le ward and odd
numbers from the center rightward.

Row numbering where there is an even number of rows

Where there is an odd number of rows, the middle row is numbered 00.

Row numbering where there is an odd number of rows

 Numbering of the port rows on board ship

On close inspec on, the photograph shows le -hand row 16, which is designed to be filled with
containers only on deck, and rows 14, 12, 10, 08, 06, which may be filled both on deck and in the
holds. Rows 04, 02, 00, 01 and 03 are likewise designed to be occupied in the hold and on deck.
However, the hatch covers are already on in this case.

Numbering of the starboard rows on board ship

Rows 05, 07, 09, 11 and 13 are s ll empty in this bay. Row 15 is designed only for on deck occupa on,
and is s ll free in this bay.
 Row numbers of the a bay of a ship

The container ers are numbered with even numbers, star ng from the bo om. The conven onal way
is start with 02 in the hold and then count up with 04, 06 etc. In the case of deck cargoes, it is
conven onal to start numbering with 80 or 82. There are some mes slight differences between ships.

Numbering of horizontal container layers, or ers

On this ship, the containers standing directly on the main deck are numbered 80 and those standing
on the hatches are number 82. The number is incremented by two for each higher layer.

These bay, row and er numbers are noted in the bay plans.
 Bay plan

The loaded containers, with their alpha prefix, their container numbers, the port of des na on or
discharge and other important details are noted in the bay plans.

Color-labeled containers in a bay plan

 According to the bay-row- er system, the colored containers were given the following stowage space
numbers:
 a 20' container in the red-colored slot: 531212

 a 40' container in the blue-colored slot: 540788

 a 20' container in the green-colored slot: 551184

The system illustrated is the most widely used. However, other numbering systems do exist, in which
the coordinates are stated in a different order, for example row-bay- er systems and similar
combina ons. On ro/ro ships, the slots are usually organized along lanes running lengthwise. In
individual cases and if required, such informa on may be obtained from shipping companies, cargo-
handling companies or other competent persons.

CONTAINER MARKINGS
Most containers carried at sea are designed and approved to ISO standard and are regularly inspected in accordance
with the Interna onal Conven on for Safe Containers (CSC) for damage, to ensure that they con nue to be suitable for
the very large loads which they are required to bear while at sea.
Containers are standardised cargo units. They are normally manufactured to the sizes specified in ISO 668, but they
can be manufactured in a variety of sizes and types, each designed to meet specific cargo and transporta on
requirements. Their length is usually 20 or 40 , although longer containers are used, principally in the US trade.
These containers are 45 or 48 long. Their width is standardised at 8 (2,438mm), although their height can vary.
The term ‘high cube’ container usually refers to a standard-sized container that has a height of 9 6in. Container
heights can be 8 , 8 6in or 9 6in.
Twenty-foot containers are a li le shorter than 20 , so that two 20 containers can be stowed in a 40 bay. The actual
dimensions are 12,192mm for a 40 container and 6,058mm for a 20 container. Thus, two 20 containers are 76mm
shorter than a 40 container. This clearance is o en referred to as the ‘ISO gap’.
INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION FOR SAFE CONTAINERS, CSC PLATE & COMBINED DATA PLATE
It is mandatory for each container to have the CSC (Conven on for Safe Containers) plate on it. This is a small,
rectangular, non-corrosive, and fire-proof plate fixed on the door of a container. It shows technical data of the
container and details of tests it has undergone, under the heading ‘CSC Safety Approval’ in bold.

Containers with stacking limita ons (such as a five-high stack) have labels marking these requirements. The stacking
capability is also specified on the CSC plate. The usual value for allowable stacking is 192,000kg, which is a nine-high
stack of containers, calculated as eight containers stacked above, each with a mass of 24,000kg (8 x 24,000 = 192,000).
This calcula on is associated with a ver cal accelera on of 1.8g. A greater stack may be allowed if the accelera on is
less than 1.8g.
Some containers may have a Combined Data Plate that includes several other data regarding the container, besides
the details of the CSC plate. Some of the details shown on a Combined Data Plate are:
1. Country of approval 2. Approval cer ficate No. 3. Manufacturer’s name and address 4. Container model
5. Container number 6. Date of manufacture 7. Maximum gross weight 8. Racking test details
9. Pest control treatment on mber components of the container 10. Periodic container examina on scheme No.
"A blank space should also be reserved on the CSC Plate for first and subsequent maintenance examina on dates
(month and year) when used."
For some years now, owners have in most cases been responsible for examining their own containers. Regulators have
provided for this by establishing an "Approved Con nuous Examina on Program", in which owners par cipate. The
ACEP is a recognized repair and maintenance system providing for regular examina ons and servicing. To par cipate
ac vely in this program, it is necessary to register with the competent authori es. Registra on is indicated on the
container. The owner has then to take responsibility for the necessary inspec ons and the date for re-examina on
need no longer be indicated on the CSC plate.
A valid ACEP renders it unnecessary to indicate a next examina on date
Unique iden fiers known as container number or container iden fica on number is assigned to every container that
is used for the transport and storage of cargo. It is used as the reference for all commercial and legal purposes as far as
the container or consignment is concerned. These numbers assigned by the ISO (Interna onal Standards Organiza on)
through BIC (Bureau Interna onal des Containers), under ISO 6346:1995 E, are made up of 4 le ers followed by 7
numbers. Each container number is unique. Some examples of container numbers are:
i) MSCU5285725 ii) HLXU2008419 iii) TLLU5146210

The ISO and BIC: The ISO is an interna onally recognized non-governmental body based in Geneva, Switzerland for
se ng interna onal standards.
BIC, on the other hand, has been appointed by the ISO as the global container prefix registry. The BIC is a non-profit
organiza on that aims to promote safety and security in the field of container transport. The BIC also maintains a
container facility code registry that iden fies each facility that’s involved in container industry, on a geographical basis.

The unique alpha-numeric container number is mainly displayed on top right part of container door along with other
details. It may also appear on all sides of the container except the base so that MHE (Material Handling Equipment)
operators can iden fy the container easily. The container number appears on the container in other places too.

The methodology followed by BIC for framing a container number is as follows:

 The first three le ers: Code to show the owner of the container (Owner code)
The fourth le er: Iden fies the equipment (Product group code). The equipment iden fier (fourth le er in the
container number) can be one of these le ers in the capital case:

U: All freight containers

J: Equipment related to freight containers that may be detached
Z: Trailers or chassis
  The first 6 numbers: A unique serial number given by the owner of the container
The last number: Check digit. The check digit is a method of valida ng the owner code (first three le ers) and serial
number (first six numbers). This is normally shown within a box to separate it from the serial number.

In the example of container numbers given above, MSCU is of Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), HLXU of
Hapag Lloyd, and TLLU of Triton Containers Interna onal Limited.

Size and Type Code

Having examined the container number, now, what is the 4-le ered code that appears right underneath it on the
container door? This code called the Size and Type Code may consist of le ers or numbers and it contains the
dimensional informa on of the container.
The first character shows the container’s length while the second shows its height. The last two characters denote the
type of container; whether a general-purpose dry container, refrigerated container, open-top, pla orm, or tank
container.
The BIC-issued types and sizes chart used for the Size and Type codes is shown here for reference:
Other Operational Markings

A container will also have other operational markings on it. These include:

Gross weight: The maximum weight of the loaded container

Tare weight: The weight of the empty container
Net weight: Gross weight minus the Tare weight (also called the Payload)
Max Cargo Vol: The maximum cargo volume that can be carried in the container

The identification system using container numbers is used internationally for tracking containers as well as in
shipping documents such as the bill of lading, packing list, invoice, etc. A consignment may be a single
container or it may consist of several containers. All the container numbers are shown on the bill of lading
while each container will have its separate packing list.
The container numbers are used in communication between the seller, buyer, transporter, government
agencies, or any other party who may be part of the transaction. Most cargo tracking apps use the container
number to track and trace the current location of their cargo.