ISO Tank Container Prefix or BIC Code
Every ISO tank must have its own serial number to identify it. Here is what they mean.
Who is BIC?
In 1933, the International Chamber of Commerce established the Bureau International des Containers (BIC), which initially focused on educating businesses about international and intermodal transport, primarily for inland rail and road systems. Following World War II, the organization expanded its scope to encompass all aspects of intermodal transport and adopted its current name, Bureau International des Containers et du Transport Intermodal. From the 1960s,
BIC became significantly involved in standardizing maritime container transport, influencing areas such as technical specifications, strength, coding, and marking to facilitate global trade. In 1970, BIC developed the significant alphanumeric 'BIC-CODE' system for container identification.
The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) adopted this system in 1972 and entrusted BIC with its exclusive global management and the registry of owner codes. Since the mid-1980s, BIC has also actively promoted combined transport methods, such as rail-road and barge-road, utilizing its considerable expertise to advance intermodal transportation development both regionally and internationally.
The Serial Number
In the picture above, you can see a serial number consisting of eleven alphanumeric characters that can identify the owner of the tank, the type of container or equipment, a serial number, and a check digit. Here’s the breakdown of the prefix:
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Owner Prefix consists of three letters that tell us who the owner of the tank is.
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Equipment Identifier is one letter that shows the type of equipment.
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U for all freight containers.
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J for detachable freight container-related equipment (e.g., gensets).
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Z for trailers and chassis.
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Serial Numbers are six numbers to identify the tank.
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Check Digit is one number to verify the accuracy of the tank.
With BIC codes, we can identify the owner of the tank and help the owner or operator identify the tank for database purposes. The tank movements can also be tracked and managed manually or through computer systems throughout their journey, particularly when switching between different modes of transport. It also facilitates them to be temporarily admitted for customs purposes.
References:
BIC Code (2025). BIC Codes. Retrieved 24 April 2025, from http://bic-belgium.com/index-6.html
ISO (2022). ISO 6346:2022. Freight containers — Coding, identification and marking. Retrieved 24 April 2025, from https://www.iso.org/standard/83558.html
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