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Understanding the CSC Plate Of Shipping

Containers
By Hari Menon | May 10, 2021 | Maritime Law

k N s A T

Intermodal freight containers play a very important role in global trade. Typically,
goods are transported from one place to another over land or by sea, in containers,
the common ones being a TEU (Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit or 20’ container) or FEU
(Forty-foot Equivalent Unit or 40’ container).

For goods to be transported safely from point A to point B, perhaps with a few
transhipment points on the way, a freight container has to meet certain conditions. It
has to be sturdy and safe to withstand the handling, passage by road or rail as well as
sea, and the weight of the cargo among other factors.

How do we decide that the container used for the transport of cargo is cargo-worthy?

Remember that most containers are transported from the seller’s warehouse or
location to the port by road or rail. This is when most people remember a CSC plate!

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Image credits: wikipedia / Frank Vincentz

CSC stands for Convention for Safe Containers.

Freight containers that are used for intermodal transport, especially international
transport, have small plates with data, fixed on them. These are usually found riveted
to one of the container doors. This is the safety approval plate that contains the main
details of the container.

The details shown on a CSC plate are as prescribed by the Convention for Safe
Containers (1972). The CSC 1972 requires these minimum details to be displayed on
all containers that are used in the transport of cargo.

The essential details that are shown on a CSC plate are the classification company
approval code, month and year of manufacture of the container, manufacturer’s
container ID number, gross weight of the container, stacking load value, racking test
load value, and the next date for inspection of the container.

This rectangular plate with a minimum measurement of 200 mm X 100 mm should be

made of a non-corrosive and fire-proof material.

Image credits : wikipedia

Table of Contents 
1. Container Inspection
2. Convention for Safe Containers 1972 (CSC 1972)
3. What is a Combined Data Plate?
4. Contents of a CSC Plate
5. Is the CSC Plate Necessary?

Container Inspection
Any freight container that is used to transport cargo has to go through an inspection
once every 30 months. This inspection has to be carried out and certified by a CSC
authorized inspector.

Upon successful completion of the inspection, the old CSC plate is removed and a
new one is fixed. A container that has been acquired newly should be sent for
inspection as above within 5 years from the date of its manufacture.

Convention for Safe Containers 1972 (CSC 1972)

This is a convention that was jointly organized by the United Nations (UN) and the
International Maritime Organization (IMO) in 1972.

Known as CSC 1972, it is a set of uniform safety regulations that cover all transport
containers above a prescribed size. These regulations promote and ensure the safety
of those handling the freight containers.

It is a requirement under CSC 1972 for all freight containers covered by the
convention, to have CSC approval plates that show the required details on them.

What is a Combined Data Plate?

Rules set forth by the IMO require several other different information to be displayed
on containers, just as the CSC plate. These days most containers have a Combined
Data Plate that carries the different information on a single plate.

The data shown on a Combined Data Plate generally includes the Customs
Convention for Containers (CCC) reference to allow transport of cargo under customs
seal, the reference for treatment done on the timber components of the container, and
the name and details of the container operator with the approved container number.
The Timber Treatment Reference is particularly applicable to containers that operate
in and around Australia.

Contents of a CSC Plate

A valid CSC plate has the words ‘CSC SAFETY APPROVAL’ stamped on it in bold.
These words can also be embossed or shown in any other way such that it is
permanent.

The CSC specifies that the safety approval caption shall be in bold characters of a
minimum height of 8 mm. All other characters on the plate should have a minimum
height of 5 mm.

The other information that must be shown on a CSC plate are as follows:

Classification Company Approval Code

This code or reference shows the authorized company or society that was responsible
for the approval of the container.

Date of Manufacture of the Container

Shows the month and year of manufacture of the container.

Manufacturer’s Container ID Number (for new containers)

The manufacturer gives each container a unique identification number. This is

sometimes used as the general ID of the container. It may also be used to track the
previous inspections the container has gone through.

Gross Weight

Also referred to as the Gross Mass, it is the total weight of the cargo and the weight of
the empty container, that can be transported safely. It is shown in kilograms and LBS.

Stacking Load Value

A container onboard a ship experiences strong gravitational forces especially during

rough weather when the ship is tossed up and down at sea. The stacking load value
shows the weight that can be stacked safely on top of a container when it experiences
a G-force of 1.8 g.

Racking Test Load Value

This value denotes the force that can be applied to the top edge of the container
before the frame is twisted out of shape. It is also called the Transverse Racking Test
Force.

First Maintenance Examination Date

This is the date when the container has to be inspected next by a classification
company.

The details that are included on a Combined Data Plate are as follows:

Approval for Transport Under Customs Seal

When the container has the approval to transport cargo under customs seal the words
‘APPROVED FOR TRANSPORT UNDER CUSTOMS SEAL’ are shown in bold on the
Combined Data Plate. Just as in the CSC plate, this caption should also be in bold
characters of a minimum height of 8 mm.

Approval Reference

The approval reference shows the CSC rule numbers under which the container was
approved by the relevant authorities.

Country of Approval

This shows the country where the container passed inspection and was approved.

Type

A container manufacturer may produce several types of containers that adhere to ISO
standards. The ‘type’ on a CSC plate shows the container series of the manufacturer
or the model of the container.

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Container Number of the Operator

This is the unique container number given to each freight container following
specifications laid down by the Bureau International des Containers (BIC).

Container Payload or Maximum Weight-bearing Capacity of the Container

Payload or maximum weight is the weight that can be transported safely inside the
container. In other words, it is just the weight of the cargo that the container can hold.
This is shown in kilograms as well as LBS.

Tare Weight

Tare weight is the weight of the empty container shown in kilograms and LBS.

Cubic Capacity

Some Combined Data Plates show the inside cubic capacity of the container. This is
shown in cubic meters (CBM) as well as cubic feet (CFT).

Timber Component Treatment Reference

Typically, the floors of containers are made of bamboo or other suitable types of
wood. The Timber Component Treatment Reference shows whether these wooden
parts have been chemically treated with basileum, radaleum, talileum-400, or any
other approved wood preservative for protection from pests.

Colgate Total 12
Protección superior*
por hasta 12 horas.

Prueba

*vs crema dental regular con flúor sin ingrediente antibacterial

Is the CSC Plate Necessary?

A valid CSC plate ensures that the container has been put through the required tests
to ascertain its strength and specifications and that it meets the standards set by the
International Standards Organization (ISO) and the Convention for Safe Containers
(CSC).

Understanding a CSC plate or a Combined Data Plate is therefore very important when
it comes to buying or leasing containers for transport, storage, or any other purposes.
It is the container owner’s responsibility to maintain a container in good condition and
ensure that it is inspected at the appropriate intervals.

The format of CSC plates may vary but the minimum data requirement is mandatory.

However, an important point to note is that even if a container has a valid CSC plate
but is in a damaged condition, the container must be taken out of service for repair or
scrapped immediately.

Disclaimer: The authors’ views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the
views of Marine Insight. Data and charts, if used, in the article have been sourced from
available information and have not been authenticated by any statutory authority. The
author and Marine Insight do not claim it to be accurate nor accept any responsibility
for the same. The views constitute only the opinions and do not constitute any
guidelines or recommendation on any course of action to be followed by the reader.

The article or images cannot be reproduced, copied, shared or used in any form
without the permission of the author and Marine Insight.

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#logistics

Hari Menon

Hari Menon is a Freelance writer with close to 20 years of

professional experience in Logistics, Warehousing, Supply chain,
and Contracts administration. An avid fitness freak, and
bibliophile, he loves travelling too.

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