Group 7: Transport Information (Modes, Means and Equipment)
Updated 9 October 2024
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-trade-tariff-cds-volume-3-customs-clearance-request-completion-guide-inventory-imports/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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bulk Import Reduced Data Set (BIRDS), C21i, C21i EIDR NOP | n1 | 1x | NA |
This data element is not required on clearance requests using procedure code 00 09 in DE 1/10.
This data element is mandatory in all other cases.
All Declaration Categories:
Enter the appropriate 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 D.E. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| BIRDS, C21i, C21i EIDR NOP | n1 | 1x | NA |
This data element is not required on clearance requests using procedure code 00 09 in DE 1/10.
This data element is mandatory in all other cases.
All Declaration Categories:
Enter the relevant 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 an Fast Parcel Operator (FPO) or other non-UPU operator. The ‘actual’ mode of transport, rather than code 5, should be used for all non-UPU consignments.
DE 7/9 Identity of Means of Transport on Arrival (Box 18: Identity and Nationality of Means of Transport at Departure)
| Declaration Categories | Field format | No. of occurrences at header level | No. of occurrences at item level |
|---|---|---|---|
| BIRDS, C21i, C21i EIDR NOP | Type of identification: n2 + Identification number: an..35 |
1x | NA |
This data element is not required on
- Customs Clearance Requests (CCRs) using procedure code 00 09 in DE 1/10
- BIRDS declarations or CCRs where codes 5 (Postal) or 7 (Fixed Energy Installations) have been declared in DE 7/4 (Mode of Transport at the Border)
This data element is mandatory in all other cases.
All Declaration Categories:
This data element is made up of 2 components, both of which are mandatory:
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 7/9.
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 |
The identity to be declared is the identity of the means of transport on which the goods are directly loaded at the time of presentation at the customs office of import. This is the identity of the means of transport at the point when the goods are presented and the customs formalities for their release are to be completed.
If a tractor and trailer with different registration numbers are used, enter the registration number of both the tractor and the trailer.
Notes:
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).
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| BIRDS, C21i, C21i EIDR NOP | an..17 | 9999x | 9999x |
This data element is not required on clearance requests using procedure code 00 09 in DE 1/10.
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:
- Are containerised but the container number(s) are not yet known (for example on a pre-lodged declaration), then enter ‘number(s) unknown’. If the exact details are not available when the declaration 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.
On paper declarations 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.
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