Group 7: Transport Information (Modes, Means and Equipment)
Updated 28 September 2024
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-trade-tariff-cds-volume-3-c21-customs-clearance-request-completion-guide-inventory-exports/group-7-transport-information-modes-means-and-equipment
DE 7/2 Container (Box 19: Container)
| Declaration Categories | Field format | No. of occurrences at header level | No. of occurrences at item level |
|---|---|---|---|
| C21e, C21e EIDR NOP | n1 | 1x | NA |
This data element (DE) is not required on clearance requests using procedure code 00 19 in DE 1/10.
This data element is mandatory in all other cases.
All Declaration Categories:
Enter the appropriate Union code to indicate if the goods will be in a shipping container on arrival in the UK.
Enter:
‘0’ if the goods are not arriving in containers, or it is not known whether they will be containerised.
‘1’ if the goods are arriving in containers.
Notes
Please refer to DE 6/9 for package type codes and UN/ECE recommendation 21 on package types which includes the definition for containers.
DE 7/4 Mode of Transport at the Border (Box 25: Mode of Transport at the Border)
| Declaration Categories | Field format | No. of occurrences at header level | No. of occurrences at item level |
|---|---|---|---|
| C21e, C21e EIDR NOP | n1 | 1x | NA |
This data element is not required on clearance requests using procedure code 00 19 in DE 1/10.
This data element is mandatory in all other cases.
All Declaration Categories:
Enter the relevant Union code from the list below for the mode of transport used to arrive at the UK external border.
| Mode of transport | Code |
|---|---|
| Maritime (Sea) transport | 1 |
| Rail transport | 2 |
| Road transport | 3 |
| Air transport | 4 |
| Postal (Mail) consignment (see 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 must only be used for goods handled by an authorised postal operator which is governed by the Universal Postal Union (UPU) — either Royal Mail Group or an Extra-Territorial Office of Exchange (ETOE) operator. Code 5 must not be used for consignments exported via a fast parcel operator or other non-UPU operator. The ‘actual’ mode of transport, rather than code 5, should be used for all non-UPU consignments.
If the goods are being declared for export using Entry in Declarant’s Records (EIDR), enter the code for the means of transport on which the goods are loaded for dispatch to the border.
DE 7/7 Identity of the means of transport at departure
| Declaration Categories | Field format | No. of occurrences at header level | No. of occurrences at item level |
|---|---|---|---|
| C21e, C21e EIDR NOP | Type of identification: n2 + Identification number: an..27 |
1x | NA |
This data element is not required on clearance requests using procedure code 00 19 in DE 1/10.
In all other cases, this data element is not required where codes 5 (postal) or 7 (Fixed Energy Installations) have been declared in DE 7/4 (Mode of Transport at the Border).
All Declaration Categories:
Enter the identity of the means of transport, where known, on which the goods are directly loaded at the time of export (or that of the vehicle propelling the others if there are several means of transport). If a tractor and trailer with different registration numbers are used, enter the registration numbers of both parts, along with the nationality of the tractor.
This data element is made up of two components:
First Component: Identification Type (n2)
Enter the type of identification (n2) using the code list below:
| Code | Description |
|---|---|
| 10 | IMO ship identification number |
| 11 | Name of the sea-going vessel |
| 20* | Wagon number |
| 30* | Registration number of the road vehicle |
| 40 | IATA flight number |
| 41 | Registration number of the aircraft |
| 80 | European Vessel Identification Number (ENI code) |
| 81 | Name of the inland waterways vessel |
*Where Mode of Transport code ‘6’ is declared in DE 7/4, either code 20 or 30 should be entered in DE 7/7.
Second Component: Identification Number (an..35)
Enter the appropriate method of identification for the Transport according to the mode of transport used, as required by the table below:
| Means of transport | Method of identification |
|---|---|
| Sea and inland waterway transport | Name of vessel or IMO ship identification number |
| Air transport | Number and date of flight (where there is no flight number, enter the aircraft’s registration number) |
| Road transport | Vehicle registration number |
| Rail transport | Wagon number |
Notes:
If the goods are being declared for export using EIDR, enter the identity of the means of transport on which the goods are loaded for dispatch to the border.
If the transport identification is not known when the clearance request is lodged, unknown must be entered, but the Vehicle Registration Number (VRN) must be provided prior to re-arrival at the border. If this cannot be provided, finalised Goods Movement Reference (GMR) containing the VRN and DUCR of the declaration will be sufficient to meet the requirement.
If you are authorised to use a Transit Accompanying Document (TAD) Movement Reference Number (MRN) in your GMR Box 18 of the transit declaration must be completed with the correct transport identification.
Finalised GMR with the VRN, Transit Declaration with the correct transport identification will be acceptable for this requirement.
The identity of the means of transport must not be declared if DE 7/4 (Mode of Transport at the Border) is completed with 5 (Postal Consignments) or 7 (Fixed Transport Installation).
If a tractor and trailer with different registration numbers are used, enter the registration number of both the tractor and the trailer.
To provide compatibility with the Export Control System (ECS), the second component of this data element is restricted to ‘an..27’.
DE 7/10 Container Identification Number (Box 31: Packages and Description of Goods)
| Declaration Categories | Field format | No. of occurrences at header level | No. of occurrences at item level |
|---|---|---|---|
| C21e, C21e EIDR NOP | an..17 | 9999x | 9999x |
This data element is not required on clearance requests using procedure code 00 19 in DE 1/10.
In all other cases, leave this data element blank if the goods are not containerised or if it is not known whether they are containerised.
All Declaration Categories:
Where DE 7/2 is completed with ‘1’, DE 7/10 is mandatory.
Enter the marks (letters and/or numbers) which identify the transport container.
Complete this data element if the goods:
- Will be in a container at the point of leaving the UK, enter the container number(s)
- Are containerised but the container number(s) are not yet known (for example on a pre-lodged clearance request), then enter ‘number(s) unknown’.
If the exact details are not available when the clearance request is lodged, unknown may be entered, but the details must be entered later. This can be done prior to arrival at the UK border using standard amendment procedures.
Where the seal numbers declared in DE 7/18 require alignment with container numbers, the container numbers must also be declared at header level.
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 data element, 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 ILU (Intermodal Loading Units) 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:
Please refer to DE 6/9 for package type codes and UN/ECE recommendation 21 on package types which includes the definition for containers.
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.
On paper clearance requests precede the (list of) container numbers by CN% or, for part containers, by Part Container%, and separate each container number by a comma, for example Part Container%ABCU12345, BCDU234567, WXYU98765.
DE 7/18: Seal number (ex-Box D)
| Declaration Categories | Field format | No. of occurrences at header level | No. of occurrences at item level |
|---|---|---|---|
| C21e | Number of seals: n..4 + Seal identifier: an..20 |
No. of seals: 1x Seal identifier: 9999x |
NA |
This data element is only required on an EXS customs clearance request.
All Declaration Categories:
Enter the total number of seals used, followed by the individual seal identification numbers (where applicable). Where no seals are used:
- In Number of seals, enter: 0
- In Seal Identifier, enter: NOSEALS