As demand for international goods continues to grow, so do the number of lost and stolen cargo containers. Now, freight containers can be tracked once registered in BoxTech, a non-profit technical characteristics database of global container information established by the Bureau International des Containers (BIC).
BoxTech was released in July 2016 in the efforts to meet the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) protocols and regulations of the International Maritime Organization (IMO). Specifically, the platform fulfills the SOLAS Verified Gross Mass (VGM) declaration requirement. Database features are also expected to propel the search and seizure of lost or stolen containers by identifying the use of improper markings.
The BoxTech Technical Characteristics Database collects:
- Container number
- Size-type code
- Tare weight
- Maximum gross mass
- Maximum payload
- Maximum stacking weight
Shipping giants, such as Maersk and CMA CGM, have already begun using the platform; both carriers have uploaded data for their entire container fleets. The databank includes the information on more than 30 percent of global container fleets and 1,100 users, allowing shippers to reduce likelihood of problems from containers that have bankruptcy status or other “special” statuses. Users, which consist of ports, terminals, and shippers, can flag sold units as well as upload their own container fleet information. Subscribers can also list containers of interest in the “recovery alerts system” to determine legal status.
BoxTech simplifies a shipper’s due diligence in compliance of the IMO regulations for ocean freight and trade. The program continues to attract attention and has built a user-generated, semi-automated system that stems from industry feedback.
For more information, visit the BIC BoxTech Technical Characteristics Database.
