CSC
CSC Safety Approval Plate (International Convention for Safe Containers) · CSC Safety Approval Plate
Also known as: CSC plate · Safety Approval Plate · CSC Convention
The CSC plate is a metal plate on the container door that shows the container is approved as safe under the International Convention for Safe Containers (CSC, 1972).
In plain words
The plate shows the country of approval and approval reference, the date of manufacture, the identification number, the maximum operating gross mass, the allowable stacking weight, and the racking test load. A container without a valid CSC plate should not be used in international transport.
Containers must be examined regularly. Under the Periodic Examination Scheme, the first examination is within 5 years of manufacture and then at least every 30 months; the next date is marked on or near the plate. Many owners use an Approved Continuous Examination Programme (ACEP) instead, shown by an ACEP mark. This matters most if you use your own containers (SOC).
Example from real shipping
A company buys used containers to ship its own goods. Before booking, the forwarder checks the CSC plates and sees that the next examination date on two containers has passed. The company has them examined and re-marked before the line accepts them.
Related terms
- Container number and check digitEvery container has a unique number under the ISO 6346 standard, such as CSQU 305438 3: a 4-letter prefix, a 6-digit serial number, and one check digit.
- VGMVGM is the checked total weight of a packed container: cargo, packaging, dunnage, and the container itself. The shipper must give it to the line before the container can be loaded on a ship.
- SOC / COCA COC is a container owned (or leased) by the shipping line. A SOC is a container that the shipper owns or leases itself and gives to the line to carry.
- Container typesA side-by-side comparison of the common shipping container types: sizes, weights, capacity, pallet places, and typical cargo.
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Request a QuoteThis glossary is general information, not legal or customs advice. Rules, fees, and practice can differ by carrier, port, and country.