ISO 6346
ISO 6346 is an international standard for coding, identification and marking of freight containers.
It establishes:
- an identification system with:
- an owner code, commonly known as BIC code
- an equipment category identifier
- a serial number
- a check digit
- a size and type code
- a country code
- operational marks
Owner Code
The owner code consists of three capital letters of the latin alphabet to indicate the owner or principal operator of the container. Such code needs to be registered at the Bureau International Des Containers in Paris to ensure uniqueness worldwide.
Equipment Category Identifier
The product group code consists of one of the following three capital letters of the latin alphabet:
- U for all freight containers
- J for detachable freight container-related equipment
- Z for trailers and chassis
Serial Number
The serial number consists of 6 (arabic) numeric digits, assigned by the owner or operator, uniquely identifying the container within that owner/operator's fleet.
Check Digit
The check digit consists of one (arabic) numeric digit providing a means of validating the recording and transmission accuracies of the owner code and serial number.
Calculation Step 1
An equivalent numerical value is assigned to each letter of the alphabet, beginning with 10 for the letter A (11 and multiples thereof are omitted):
| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M |
| 10 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 23 | 24 |
| N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z |
| 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 |
The individual digits of the serial number keep their numeric value.
Calculation Step 2
Each of the numbers calculated in step 1 is multiplied by 2position, where position is the exponent to basis 2. Position starts at 0, from left to right.
| 1. nbr | 2. nbr | 3. nbr | 4. nbr | 5. nbr | 6. nbr | 7. nbr | 8. nbr | 9. nbr | 10. nbr |
| 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 |
| 1 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 16 | 32 | 64 | 128 | 256 | 512 |
Calculation Step 3
Multiply the results for each position which were determined in step 1 and 2.
Calculation Step 4
a) Sum up all results of step 3
b) Divide them by 11
c) Erase all decimal digits of the divison (i. e. make the result an integer value)
d) Multiply the integer value by 11
e) Subtract result of d) from result of a): This is the check digit!
If the final difference is 10, then the check digit becomes 0. To ensure that this does not happen, the standard recommends that serial numbers should not be used which produce a final difference of 10, however there are containers in the market which do not follow this recommendation, so handling this case has to be included if a check digit calculator is programmed.
Example
| C | S | Q | U | 3 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 8 | Calc. |
| 13 | 30 | 28 | 32 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 8 | |
| x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | |
| 1 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 16 | 32 | 64 | 128 | 256 | 512 | |
| = | = | = | = | = | = | = | = | = | = | |
| 13 | 60 | 112 | 256 | 48 | 0 | 320 | 512 | 768 | 4096 | 6185 [a)] |
| b) Division by 11: | 562.272... | |||||||||
| c) Erase decimal digits: | 562 | |||||||||
| d) Multiply by 11: | 6182 | |||||||||
| e) a) minus d) = Check Digit: | 3 | |||||||||
Size and Type Codes
ISO 6346 also gives size and type codes for containers. When displayed on the container, the size and type codes shall be used as a whole.
The codes are compiled of the following elements:
- First character, representing the length (coded)
- Second character, representing the width and height (coded)
- Third and Fourth character indicating the type of the container
The following is an overwiew of the most common codes:
| ISO Type Group | ISO Size Type | ||
| Code | Description | Code | Description |
| 20GP | GP CONTAINER | 20G0 | GP CONTAINER |
| 20G1 | GP CONTAINER | ||
| 20HR | INSULATED CONTAINER | 20H0 | INSULATED CONTAINER |
| 20PF | FLAT (FIXED ENDS) | 20P1 | FLAT (FIXED ENDS) |
| 20TD | TANK CONTAINER | 20T3 | TANK CONTAINER |
| 20T4 | TANK CONTAINER | ||
| 20T5 | TANK CONTAINER | ||
| 20T6 | TANK CONTAINER | ||
| 20TG | TANK CONTAINER | 20T7 | TANK CONTAINER |
| 20T8 | TANK CONTAINER | ||
| 20TN | TANK CONTAINER | 20T0 | TANK CONTAINER |
| 20T1 | TANK CONTAINER | ||
| 20T2 | TANK CONTAINER | ||
| 22BU | BULK CONTAINER | 22B0 | BULK CONTAINER |
| 22GP | GENERAL PURPOSE CONT. | 22G0 | GENERAL PURPOSE CONT. |
| 22G1 | GENERAL PURPOSE CONT. | ||
| 22HR | INSULATED CONTAINER | 22H0 | INSULATED CONTAINER |
| 22PC | FLAT (COLLAPSIBLE) | 22P3 | FLAT (COLLAPSIBLE) |
| 22P8 | FLAT (COLL.FLUSH FOLDING) | ||
| 22P9 | FLAT (COLLAPSIBLE) | ||
| 22PF | FLAT (FIXED ENDS) | 22P1 | FLAT (FIXED ENDS) |
| 22P7 | FLAT (GENSET CARRIER) | ||
| 22RC | REEFER CONT.(NO FOOD) | 22R9 | REEFER CONT.(NO FOOD) |
| 22RS | BUILT-IN GEN. F. POWER SPLY OF REEF | 22R7 | BUILT-IN GEN. F. POWER SPLY OF REEF |
| 22RT | REEFER CONTAINER | 22R1 | REEFER CONTAINER |
| 22SN | NAMED CARGO CONTAINER | 22S1 | NAMED CARGO CONTAINER |
| 22TD | TANK CONTAINER | 22T3 | TANK CONTAINER |
| 22T4 | TANK CONTAINER | ||
| 22T5 | TANK CONTAINER | ||
| 22T6 | TANK CONTAINER | ||
| 22TG | TANK CONTAINER | 22T7 | TANK CONTAINER |
| 22T8 | TANK CONTAINER | ||
| 22TN | TANK CONTAINER | 22T0 | TANK CONTAINER |
| 22T1 | TANK CONTAINER | ||
| 22T2 | TANK CONTAINER | ||
| 22UP | HARDTOP CONTAINER | 22U6 | HARDTOP CONTAINER |
| 22UT | OPEN TOP CONTAINER | 22U1 | OPEN TOP CONTAINER |
| 22VH | VENTILATED CONTAINER | 22V0 | VENTILATED CONTAINER |
| 22V2 | VENTILATED CONTAINER | ||
| 22V3 | VENTILATED CONTAINER | ||
| 25GP | GP-CONTAINER OVER-HEIGHT | 25G0 | GP-CONTAINER OVER-HIGHT |
| 26GP | GP-CONTAINER OVER-HEIGHT | 26G0 | GP-CONTAINER OVER-HIGHT |
| 26HR | INSULATED CONTAINER | 26H0 | INSULATED CONTAINER |
| 28TG | TANK FOR GAS | 28T8 | TANK FOR GAS |
| 28UT | OPEN TOP (HALF HEIGHT) | 28U1 | OPEN TOP (HALF HEIGHT) |
| 28VH | VE-HALF-HEIGHT =1448 MM HEIGHT | 28V0 | VE-HALF-HEIGHT =1448 MM HEIGHT |
| 29PL | PLATFORM | 29P0 | PLATFORM |
| 2EGP | GEN. PURP. WITHOUT VENT WIDTH 2.5M | 2EG0 | HIGH CUBE CONT. (WIDTH 2.5M) |
| 42GP | GENERAL PURPOSE CONT. | 42G0 | GENERAL PURPOSE CONT. |
| 42G1 | GENERAL PURPOSE CONT. | ||
| 42HR | INSULATED CONTAINER | 42H0 | INSULATED CONTAINER |
| 42PC | FLAT (COLLAPSIBLE) | 42P3 | FLAT (COLLAPSIBLE) |
| 42P8 | FLAT (COLL.FLUSH FOLDING) | ||
| 42P9 | FLAT (COLLAPSIBLE) | ||
| 42PF | FLAT (FIXED ENDS) | 42P1 | FLAT (FIXED ENDS) |
| 42PS | FLAT (SPACE SAVER) | 42P6 | FLAT SPACE SAVER |
| 42RC | REEFER CONT.(NO FOOD) | 42R9 | REEFER CONT.(NO FOOD) |
| 42RS | REEFER CONT.(DIESEL GEN.) | 42R3 | REEFER CONT.(DIESEL GEN.) |
| 42RT | REEFER CONTAINER | 42R1 | REEFER CONTAINER |
| 42SN | NAMED CARGO CONTAINER | 42S1 | NAMED CARGO CONTAINER |
| 42TD | TANK CONTAINER | 42T5 | TANK CONTAINER |
| 42T6 | TANK CONTAINER | ||
| 42TG | TANK CONTAINER | 42T8 | TANK CONTAINER |
| 42TN | TANK CONTAINER | 42T2 | TANK CONTAINER |
| 42UP | HARDTOP CONTAINER | 42U6 | HARDTOP CONTAINER |
| 42UT | OPEN TOP CONTAINER | 42U1 | OPEN TOP CONTAINER |
| 45BK | BULK CONTAINER | 45B3 | BULK CONTAINER |
| 45GP | HIGH CUBE CONT. | 45G0 | HIGH CUBE CONT. |
| 45G1 | HIGH CUBE CONT. | ||
| 45PC | FLAT (COLLAPSIBLE) | 45P3 | FLAT (COLLAPSIBLE) |
| 45P8 | FLAT (COLL.FLUSH FOLDING) | ||
| 45RC | REEFER CONT.(NO FOOD) | 45R9 | REEFER CONT.(NO FOOD) |
| 45RT | REEFER CONTAINER | 45R1 | REEFER CONTAINER |
| 45UT | OPEN TOP CONTAINER | 45U1 | OPEN TOP CONTAINER |
| 45UP | HIGH CUBE HARDTOP CONT. | 45U6 | HIGH CUBE HARDTOP CONT. |
| 46HR | INSULATED CONTAINER | 46H0 | INSULATED CONTAINER |
| 48TG | TANK FOR GAS | 48T8 | TANK FOR GAS |
| 49PL | PLATFORM | 49P0 | PLATFORM |
| 4CGP | GP CONTAINER | 4CG0 | GP CONTAINER (WIDTH 2.5 M) |
| L0GP | HIGH CUBE CONT. | L0G1 | HIGH CUBE CONT. |
| L2GP | HIGH CUBE CONT. | L2G1 | HIGH CUBE CONT. |
| L5GP | HIGH CUBE CONT. | L5G1 | HIGH CUBE CONT. |
Country Code (Optional)
The country code consists of two capital letters of the latin alphabet as described in ISO 3166. It indicates the country where teh code is registered not the nationality of the owner or operator of the container. The letters of the code shall not less than 100 mm high.
Mandatory Operational Marks
Operational marks are intended solely to convey information requested for the movement of containers or give visual warnings. They relate to
- the wieght of containers
- a symbol to denote air-surface container
- a sign warning of werhead electracal danger
- a height mat be for containers higher than 2.6m (8 ft 6 in)