Container Codes

Container codes follow the ISO 6346 international standard for container identification.

Format

Container codes consist of:

1. Owner Code - 3 uppercase letters (e.g., ABC)
2. Equipment Category Identifier - 1 letter (usually U for freight container)
3. Serial Number - 6 digits (e.g., 123456)
4. Check Digit - 1 digit (calculated automatically)

Example: ABCD1234567

• ABCD = Owner code + Equipment category
• 123456 = Serial number
• 7 = Check digit

Validation

Validation behaviour depends on the channel:

Channel	Format check	ISO 6346 check digit
Manual / mobile upload	Yes	Yes (UI and API)
Gallery search	Yes	Yes
Mailbox ingest (default)	Yes (normalize 4+7)	No
Mailbox ingest + OCR	Yes	Yes on stated code (Scenario A1); OCR verifies attachment reads

When OCR is enabled on a mail rule, see Mailbox ingest FAQ for Scenarios A1/A2/B.

The system automatically validates container codes on upload paths:

• Format must match ISO 6346 standard (4 letters + 7 digits)
• Check digit is verified where noted above
• Invalid codes are rejected with an error message

Common Issues

Wrong Format

Problem: Code doesn't match expected format

Solution: Ensure you're using:

• Exactly 4 letters (uppercase)
• Exactly 7 digits
• No spaces or special characters

Invalid Check Digit

Problem: Code format is correct but check digit is wrong

Solution: Verify the container code from the physical container. The check digit is calculated from the owner code and serial number.

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tip

Tip: If you're unsure about a container code, check the physical container or shipping documentation. The code is usually printed on the container.