A container seal is a numbered, single-use lock fixed to the container doors once loading is finished. It cannot be removed without being cut, so an intact seal with the right number shows the doors have not been opened since loading.
You should record the number because it ties the physical container to your packing list, bill of lading and inspection report. If the number at destination differs, or the seal is broken, you have evidence that the container was opened after it left the factory.
Types of seal you will see
- Shipping line seals, issued by the carrier and usually printed on the bill of lading.
- Customs seals. In India, exporters approved for self-sealing use electronic seals under customs procedures, and customs may also seal containers they have examined.
- Your own or your inspector's seal, added as a second seal for extra control.
High security seals
Most seals on ocean containers are bolt seals: a steel bolt and a locking barrel, each marked with the same unique number. Seals for international cargo are commonly made to ISO 17712, the standard for high security mechanical seals. Your forwarder or the shipping line can tell you which seal will be used.
A seal does not stop a determined thief, but it makes tampering visible. That is why the number must be recorded at loading, not copied later from a booking sheet.
What to record at loading
- The seal number, written down and photographed close up.
- A photo of the seal fixed on the right-hand door locking bar with the container number in view.
- The time and place of sealing, and who applied it.
- Every seal number if more than one seal is used.
- A check that the same number appears on the packing list and the draft bill of lading.
At destination
Before the doors are opened, compare the seal number with your documents and check the seal for damage. Photograph it before it is cut, and keep the cut seal. If customs at your end opened the container for examination, a new customs seal will be fitted and the record should show this. That is normal, but keep the paperwork.
If the seal number does not match, or the seal is cut with no customs record, do not unload. Call your forwarder and insurer, and follow the steps in what to check when the container arrives. A seal discrepancy is often central to a theft or shortage claim.
How we help
Our inspector photographs the seal being fixed and records its number in the loading report. We check that number against the packing list and bill of lading before you pay. Ask for a free sourcing review to add loading supervision to your order.