What is a CSC plate and a combined data plate?
Shipping containers have information riveted to them that reflects crucial data about the manufacturer, model, safety labels, container number, container weight, and much more. This sort of information becomes highly essential and beneficial for international shipping. The CSC (Convention for Safe Containers) plate and a combined data plate are necessarily a part of every shipping container. IMO approves them to ensure the safety of human life during international transit of containers. Let us know more about the CSC and combined data plate.
What is CSC in safety?
The international maritime organisation, backed up by the United Nations, conjointly formulated a convention for container safety. The International Convention for Safe Containers (CSC) aims to protect and safeguard human life during the handling and transit of shipping containers. By complying with the safety regulations adopted during the convention, the IMO aims to establish uniformity and facilitate the international transport of goods in shipping containers. The government administration supervises the testing, inspection and approval of shipping containers. Many countries have adopted the CSC convention and are member parties to minimise the safety control formalities during international shipping.
How does CSC ensure safety?
The CSC has put forward the requirements for design, standards for minimum functioning, dimensions, container resistance threshold, and weight to optimise it for use through all modes of transport. This way, CSC lays a unified and standard protocol for manufacturing cargo containers for international shipping and for their consistent repairs and maintenance. It helps in keeping the workers as safe as possible.
What is a CSC combined data plate?
The CSC plate and a combined data plate are not different entities; instead, the CSC plate is a part of the combined data plate. The shipping containers hold plenty of written information and instructions for handling and manufacturing the shipping containers. Instructions, such as the container manufacturer and model numbers, are also riveted to the container beside the CSC plate. So, instead of covering the entire freight container in labels and instructions, a combined data plate helps organise all the co-trainer information in one place. One significant data plate is attached to the shipping container instead of multiple metal data plates. The CSC data is a part of the combined data plate. The contents of the CSC combined data plate include-
- CSC data plate
- Information regarding customs
- Manufacturing information
- Safety labels and instructions
With a combined data plate, it becomes easier for customs and inspection authorities to get all relevant information in a single place.
What is the CSC plate in a container?
According to the CSC convention, every shipping container meant to be used for international shipping must have a valid safety approval plate. To ensure this, every shipping container is fastened with a CSC plate on the outside of the left door at the time of its manufacturing. The information on the CSC plate is either in English or French and contains information about the container, its owner, and its manufacturer. Since shipping containers are subjected to harsh climatic conditions during international shipping, the CSC plates are made of anodised aluminium to offer durability and protect them from abrasion, rusting, fading, or becoming illegible.
Contents on a CSC plate
The following details must be printed either in English or French.
- The plate must begin with the words ‘CSC SAFETY APPROVAL’.
- Name of the country that approved the container and approval reference.
- Month and year of manufacture.
- Manufacturer’s identification number
- Max gross weight (in kgs and pounds)
- Permissible stacking weight for 1.8g (in kgs and pounds)
- Racking test load value (in kgs and pounds)
Why is a CSC plate necessary?
- The CSC plate is a ticket to international intermodal shipping. Shipping companies cannot use the shipping container for international transport without the plate.
- The presence of a CSC plate certifies that the shipping containers have been manufactured following the CSC and ISO standards and have been tested for their strength and other specifications.
- It helps ensure the container is in proper health and has been through necessary inspections, repairs, and maintenance. It further helps minimise any danger to human life while handling shipping containers.
A CSC plate and a combined data plate are essential elements of a shipping container that are fixed to the container, displaying crucial information about the container, manufacturer, and container owner.
LOTUS Containers is a container market for different types of shipping containers capable of being shipped through all modes of transport. With our central hub in Hamburg, Germany, we offer our shipping container services throughout the globe.
