MSC CONTAINER INSPECTION

CRITERIA AND REPAIR

GUIDELINES

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 Table of Contents
1. Introduction 4
1.1 General 4
1.2 Acceptable damage 4
1.3 Non-acceptable damage 5
1.4 Wear and tear 5
1.5 Improper or non-conforming repairs 6
1.6 Manufacturing defect 6

2. Inspection and repair criteria 7

2.1 Rails, headers and sills 7
2.2 Corner post and corner casting 7
2.3 Understructure 8
2.4 Floor 9
2.5 Doors 10
2.6 Panels 10
2.7 Others 11
2.8 Cleanliness 11

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 REVISION SUMMARY

Version Date Review by Short description

1.0 January 2023 GVA Logistics First draft - Issued

1.1 April 2023 GVA Logistics - Change in the content of the document and update of the damage measurement
Regional tables

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 1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 GENERAL

• This damage criteria should be taken as guideline, and it is applicable for use at all MSC managed/operated
and leased general purpose containers (20’DV, 40’DV, 40’HC).
• Inspection should be done to ensure the container is structurally sound and safe, as defined by the
International Convention for Safe Containers (CSC).
• The container must show a valid CSC plate and “ACEP” approval sticker or stamp. All containers “NOT
COVERED BY ACEP” must have their CSC plate updated in accordance the CSC regulations.
• Any damages exceed these criteria should be repaired.
• All repairs must be carried conform to General Repair Policy published in the latest edition of the Institute
of International Container Lessors (IICL) including technical bulletins which are regularly updated.
• Any repair completed not conform to those guidelines can be considered as improper and not acceptable.
All MSC agents must ensure any appointed MSC depot or terminal performing improper repairs, will be
held liable for all consequences. If you consider after inspection that the improper repair is unsafe, please
contact your local M&R representative before starting any rework.

1.2 ACCEPTABLE DAMAGE

This is defined as a damage that no need repair, includes:

• Damages on flanges of the bottom side rail, under-structure components, front header, except damage to
weld connection.

• Previous improper repair should not be reworked unless the structural integrity of the container is
compromised, or it is unsuitable for cargo. Please always check with your local M&R representative.

• Minor manufacturing defect but not affecting to container safety or required international
conventions/standards.

• Deformation of structural members up to ISO +10 mm (side face - corner casting) and up to +5mm (end
face – corner casting).

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 1.3 NON - ACCEPTABLE DAMAGE

This is defined as a damage that must be repaired because:

• The International Convention for Safe Containers (CSC), 1972 or the Customs Convention is violated, or
container safety is affected.

• Non-ISO container repair is absolutely forbidden.

• Repairs not in accordance with this guideline / IICL repair manual, can be considered as improper and not
acceptable.

• The container is unsuitable for cargo.

• Major manufacturing defect affecting to container safety or required international conventions /

standards.

• Corrosion causing loss of structural integrity or become deformed / holed when testing by approved
inspector’s harmer test.

• Floor warping or delamination due to excess moisture.

1.4 WEAR AND TEAR

This is defined as unavoidable change or deterioration of the condition of the container, brought about by routine
operational use and includes:
• Corrosion resulting from coating paint deterioration or container age. The corrosion should be tested with
the round head of the approval inspector’s hammer by struck with short series of light blows.

• The leasing container existing with large corrosion on steel components and/or delamination/deterioration
floorboard after large routines of cargo loading/unloading cycles or age, could be considered/taken into off
hire.

• Some heavy corrosions are easy to be holed or cracked/cut: roof panel, header extension plate, old sharp
dent. Please always check with your local M&R representative the use of the hammer for corrosion testing.

• Delamination in plywood occurs when the glue holding the two pieces of veneer fails. Delamination failure
may be indicated by one or more of following conditions:

o Signs of sponginess or “spring back” in the floor causing the floor to give way underfoot and return
when the foot is removed.
o The top veneer of the floor is loose and protruding above the screws.
o The floor sags (wavy floorboards) perceptibly between crossmembers, when unloaded or subjected
to normal operating loads. When tapped with a hammer between crossmembers, the floor makes
a “hollow” sound distinct from the normal “solid” sound of an intact floor.
o When damage is observed to the 4th layer of plywood floors (i.e., the top 3 layers are missing or
loose and the 4th layer is also damaged.

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 1.5 IMPROPER OR NON-CONFORMING REPAIRS

The decision should be taken by the local M&R representative: assess if the improper repair can be left in place or
must be reworked to IICL standards.

1.6 MANUFACTURING DEFECT

This is defined as differences to manufacturer’s specification with regarding to material, workmanship and factory
guarantees. Depending on the condition of the manufacturer defect or suspected manufacturer failure, it might be
reported to the MSC RO/HQ.

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 2. INSPECTION AND REPAIR CRITERIA

2.1 RAILS, HEADERS AND SILLS

Component Damage Condition/Tolerance Recommended repairs

Top Side Rail Dents more than 30 mm Straighten or weld, or straighten and weld, or
and/or insert, or section, or renew
Holed, cut, torn, broken, cracked
Bottom Side Dents more than 50 mm Straighten or weld, or straighten and weld, or
Rail - Web and/or insert, or section, or renew
Holed, cut, torn, broken, cracked
Bottom Side Cracks which extend into web Weld or straighten and weld
Rail - Flange radius
Front & Rear - Holed, cut, torn, broken, cracked Straighten or weld, or straighten
Headers Deformation more than 40 mm and weld, or insert, or section, or
renew
Front & Rear - Holed, cut, torn, broken, cracked Straighten or weld, or straighten
Sill Deformation more than 50 mm and weld, or insert, or section, or
renew
(*) Please see below Fig. 1 concerning to rail insert and section limitations
(**) Please see below Fig. 6, 7 concerning to dents tolerance on rails

2.2 CORNER POST AND CORNER CASTING

Component Damage Condition/Tolerance Recommended repairs

Corner Posts Dents more than 25 mm Straighten or weld, or straighten
(Front & Rear, and/or and weld, or insert, or renew
including J-bar) Holed, cut, torn, broken, cracked
and / or
Bend, bow or deformation, if exceeding
outer faces of corner castings (Out of ISO) by +5 mm
on end face or + 10 mm on side face.
Rear Corner Post If interfering with door operation Straighten or weld, or straighten
(J-bar) and weld, or insert

Corner Fitting Cracked, deformed, broken Renew

and/or
Deformation preventing correct twist-lock
operation
and/or
Aperture width is more than 65 mm
Aperture length is more than 127 mm
Thickness of the top corner casting (top plate) is 24.5
mm thick or less

(*) Please see below Fig. 4 concerning to corner post insert limitations

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 2.3 UNDERSTRUCTURE

Component Damage Condition/Tolerance Recommended repairs

Forklift Pocket, Top plate separation from floor in Straighten or weld, or straighten
Outriggers excess of 10 mm or floor screws and weld, or insert, or renew
& ineffective
Gooseneck Web holed, cut, torn, or cracked in
Tunnel excess of 500 mm or extending into a
Assembly weld connection
Lower flange connection to bottom side
rail, holed, cut, torn, cracked
extending into web radius
Web deformation below line of corner
castings
Web (forklift rail) deformed more than 75 mm
Top plate pushed up more than 50 mm cut, torn, or
broken
Strap broken, cracked, cut, torn,
missing
Crossmembers Web holed, torn, broken, cracked, cut Straighten or weld, or straighten
or missing and weld, or insert, or renew
Web deformed more than 75 mm
Web upper flange separated from floor
by more than 10 mm
Bowed up by more than 50 mm

Bow downwards not beyond the plane of lower

surfaces of the bottom corner fitting (15 mm)
(*) Please see below Fig. 3 concerning to crossmember repairs, as well as check TB 21 (07 May 2021) from IICL website

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 2.4 FLOOR

Component Damage Condition/Tolerance Recommended repairs

Plywood Floor Gouge greater than 15 mm deep
(Boards) irrespective of length
Gouge more than 5 mm deep and
greater than 150 mm wide irrespective
of length
Delamination or other damage the floor strength
(Delamination occurs when the adhesive of a plywood
veneer fails and the top layer separates from the rest
of the plywood)
Section
Section
(*) Section when damage is
observed to the 4th layer of
plywood floors (i.e. the top 3
layers are missing or loose and
the 4th layer is also damaged.

If either following conditions

Finger cracks applies:
• Visible sign of impact on
the opposite side
• Damage to adjacent
components, i.e.,
crossmembers, sills,
floor rails, hat sections
• Visible bowing of the
opposite side of the
floor
• Hollow sound when
hammer tested

Difference in height between adjacent Refasten

planks/panels greater than 10 mm
Nail holes – Other holes Section, except with hole:
• 0-6 mm Ø: Seal
• 7-25 mm Ø: Dowel
• > 25 mm Ø: Section
Light leak between boards, floor center or hat section, Seal
rail & sill
Floor Fastenings Protruding Refasten, replace
(Screws) and/or
Three or more adjacent broken/loose,
missing fasteners

(*) If no impact damage is noted, this is to be considered as wear &tear.

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 2.5 DOORS

Component Damage Condition/Tolerance Recommended repairs

Door panel Holed, cut, cracked, light leak Straighten or weld, or straighten and weld, or
Dent into the cube exceeding 50 mm insert, or patch
Door assembly Deformation Straighten or weld, or straighten and weld, or
including affecting security and operation of door insert, or section, or renew
hardware and and water/light tightness
hinges and/or
Missing / broken or loose parts which
affect door operation
Hinge pins Seized, cracked, broken, frozen Free-up or replace
(Interfering with door operation)
Locking bar (Rod) Seized, cracked, broken, frozen Free-up, straighten or weld, or straighten and
(Interfering with door operation) weld, or section, or renew
Locking bar cam Cracked, bent, deformed Straighten or weld, or straighten and weld, or
& retainer (Interfering with door operation) renew
(keeper)
Locking bar Cracked, bent, deformed (interfering Straighten or renew
handle with door operation)
Locking bar Cracked, bent, deformed (interfering Straighten or renew
handle (catch & with door operation)
retainer)
Locking bar guide Cracked, bent, deformed Straighten or renew
and bracket (Interfering with door operation)
Door screws (TIR) Cracked, bent, deformed Renew (right door fasten with Huck bolts, left
(Interfering with door operation) door with bolt heads
Rain Gutters Damage affecting door operation or Straighten or remove
exceeding outer face of corner casting
+10 mm
Door gasket Holed, cut, torn, cracked, loose, missing Renew, replace, section, seal
(if not light-tight and water-tight)

2.6 PANELS

Component Damage Condition/Tolerance Recommended repairs

Side / Front / Dents into cube which reduce the Straighten or weld, or straighten
Roof Panels internal width by more than 50 mm from and weld, or insert, or patch, or
including Header the inner corrugation including multiple renew
Ext. dents, or 70 mm from the floor to the
Plate roof inner corrugation
Holed, torn, or cut Straighten or weld, or straighten
and weld, or insert, or patch, or
renew
Dents exceeding the outer corrugation of panel Straighten or weld, or straighten
+40mm and weld, or insert, or patch, or
renew
(*) Please see below Fig. 2 concerning to the difference between patch & insert on panels
(**) Please see below Fig. 5 concerning to dents tolerance on panels

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 2.7 OTHERS

Component Damage Condition/Tolerance Recommended repairs

Lashing Rings Broken, cracked, or missing or non- Straighten or weld, or straighten and weld, or
functional renew
Panel surfaces Glue (Sticky) Clean and / or remove, or paint
Odour, infestation, debris, (*) Do not paint over!
contamination
that can be transferred to the cargo
Graffiti/Foreign Markings -
Offensive, Hazardous Labels (*)
ISO and Missing and/or illegible Replace
compulsory
markings
(Container
identification) (*)
MSC or owner’s Missing and/or illegible Please contact your M&R representative to
logo authorize the repair
CSC plate Broken, missing plate or fastener and/or Refasten and seal or replace
illegible
Ventilator cover Broken (exceeds TIR opening limit of 10 Refasten and seal or replace
mm), blocked and not weather-tight,
cracked or missing
(*) Mandatory information: Container size and type, gross weight, tare, weight, payload, volume, height warning, high cube
warning.

2.8 CLEANLINESS

Component Damage Condition/Tolerance Recommended repairs

Panel surfaces Dangerous cargo residue
Pest infestation
Cargo residue, transferable
contamination
Foreign material: lashing, dunnage,
debris impeding loading of cargo
Transferable oil stain on floor
Transferable stain, adhesive residue on
interior panels
Sticky glue or tape
Hazard cargo label (inside), label, tape
covering the vent hole
Odor that can be transferred to the
cargo
Please contact your M&R representative to
authorize any repair/cleaning action
Please contact your M&R representative to
authorize any repair/cleaning action
Remove, or sweep, or water washing, or
chemical cleaning
Remove, or sweep
Chemical cleaning, sanding (only if authorized
by M&R representative)
Spot clean, or water washing, or chemical
cleaning,
Remove, or spot clean
Remove, or spot clean
Water washing, or chemical clean (only if
authorized by M&R representative and
subjected to commodity)

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 Fig. 1 - Rail insert and section limitations

Fig. 2 - Panel patch / insert

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 Fig. 3 Crossmember repairs

Fig. 4 - Corner post insert limitations

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 Fig. 5 - Dent on side + on roof panel and understructure elements (bowed up - down)

Fig. 6 - Dent on end & side top rails

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 Fig. 7 Dent on end & side bottom rails

Fig. 8 - ISO and compulsory markings

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