Group 7: Transport Information (Modes, Means and Equipment)
Published 10 January 2025
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/simplified-process-for-internal-market-movements-spimm-or-uk-carrier-ukc-scheme-customs-declaration-service-data-element-completion-guide/group-7-transport-information-modes-means-and-equipment
This guidance is for information purposes only and cannot be used until the Simplified Process for Internal Market Movements (SPIMM) has been launched.
DE 7/4 Mode of Transport at the Border
| Declaration Categories | Field format | Number of occurrences at header level | Number of occurrences at item level |
|---|---|---|---|
| H8, I1 C&F, C21i and C21i EIDR NOP | n1 | 1x | NA |
This Data Element (DE) is mandatory in all instances.
All Declaration Categories
Enter the relevant code from the list below for the active mode of transport used to arrive the goods in Northern Ireland (NI).
| Mode of transport | Code |
|---|---|
| Maritime (Sea) transport | 1 |
| Rail transport | 2 |
| Road transport | 3 |
| Air transport | 4 |
| Postal (Mail) consignment (refer to below) | 5 |
| Roll-on Roll- off (RoRo) | 6 |
| Fixed transport installations | 7 |
| Inland waterway transport | 8 |
| Mode unknown (for instance, own propulsion) | 9 |
Notes
Code ‘5’ should only be used for goods handled by the authorised postal operator which is governed by the Universal Postal Union – either Royal Mail Group or an Extra-Territorial Office of Exchange (ETOE) operator. Code 5 must not be used for consignments exported via an FPO or other non-UPU operator. The ‘actual’ mode of transport, rather than code 5, should be used for all non-UPU consignments.
Code ‘6’ should be declared for RoRo movements. The active means of transport would be defined as the RoRo ferry and would not be Road. Code ‘3’ must not be used.
When code ‘7’ is used, document code N760 for multimodal/mixed transport must be entered in DE 2/3 as the direct transport document used.
DE 7/10 Container Identification Number
| Declaration Categories | Field format | Number of occurrences at header level | Number of occurrences at item level |
|---|---|---|---|
| I1 C&F and C21i EIDR NOP | an..17 | 9999x | NA |
This DE only requires completion when goods are containerised or if it is not known whether the goods are containerised at the time the customs declaration or Entry in Declarant’s Records (EIDR) Notification of Presentation (NOP) is pre-lodged.
All Declaration Categories
Enter the marks (letters or numbers, or both) which identify the transport container.
If the exact container number details are not available when the declaration is pre-lodged, ‘unknown’ may be entered. The details must be entered prior to arrival in Northern Ireland (NI) using standard amendment procedures.
Where goods items on the declaration are packed into different containers, DE 7/10 must be completed with each of the individual container numbers at header level.
Notes
Refer to DE 6/9 for the codes required for different container types.
The UN/ECE recommendation 21 includes definitions for different types of containers. The following information gives a summary of the most common types.
Air Transport
In the air mode, containers are special boxes to carry freight, strengthened and allowing horizontal or vertical transfers.
Swap bodies and semi-trailers
In the context of this DE, the swap bodies and semi-trailers used for road and rail transport shall be considered as containers.
If applicable, for containers covered by the standard ISO 6346, the identifier (prefix) allocated by the International Bureau of Containers and Intermodal Transport (BIC) shall also be provided in addition to the container identification number.
For swap bodies and semi-trailers, the Intermodal Loading Units (ILU) code as introduced by the European EN 13044 standard shall be used.
Modes of transport other than air
For modes of transport other than air, a container is a special box to carry freight, strengthened and stackable and allowing horizontal or vertical transfers.
Notes
The term ‘container’ covers:
- large, re-usable containers, for example, ISO types designed to be transported by road, rail, sea, or air
- smaller re-usable types of containers of an internal volume of a cubic metre or more designed to be transported by road, rail, sea or air and capable of specialized handling without unloading
- specialized re-usable containers designed to be used for the particular goods and transported by road, rail, sea or air
- goods are to be regarded as containerised even when a container is mounted on a road vehicle or rail wagon