M&R IN CONTAINER SHIPPING – COMMON REPAIR STANDARDS

The IICL Survey Criteria

The Institute of International Container Lessors (IICL) is the leading trade association of the marine container leasing and chassis provider industry.
IICL Survey Criteria is an internationally accepted standard, hence wherever the survey is conducted the criteria will remain the same. 
IICL not only certifies the structural integrity of the container but also sets a baseline cosmetic standard. 
The criteria is designed to ensure that container  is suitable for a wide range of cargo and to maximize the lifespan of the container (longer than when it is maintained in Cargo Worthy standard).

Cargo Worthy Criteria

CW is a survey criteria which ensures that the containers can carry general cargo.
The basic requirement of CW is that the container should be wind & water tight and that it is structurally sound.
Unlike IICL, which is a global standard, Cargo Worthy standards can vary depending on the owner/operator of the container and in some cases even regionally depending on the type of cargo that is carried. However, the basic requirements of Cargo Worthy containers are that there should be no holes, no large dents, must have strong floors and that it should be strong and safe enough to carry cargo and withstand the forces exerted on them during handling and sailing.

Food Grade Containers 

Generally, a Food Grade Container would need to adhere to the following criteria in addition to being Cargo Worthy/IICL:
There should not be any transferable stains on floors or panels
The container should be odor free.
Here too, there is no universally accepted standard as the criteria can vary depending on the type of food cargo that is carried.
There is a common misconception that CW/IICL containers can be upgraded to Food Grade with some minor repairs. However in reality, although a container is in IICL condition, it may still require a fair bit of work to upgrade it to food grade.

Flexibag containers

In general, these are similar to Food Grade Containers with the added requirements of not having any sharp edges on the panels or the floors as these would puncture the flexibags.

At VS&B we strive to provide containers that suit the requirement of our customers by leveraging our team’s in-depth knowledge in containers and our local knowledge on cargo and regulatory requirements.