Registration of a container owner code (a BIC Code)

1. A container owner code (a BIC Code).

Bureau International des Containers (BIC) register a container owner code (a BIC Code), comprising of:

• three capital letters of the Latin alphabet for identification of the container owner or the principle operator
• an equipment category identifier — one capital letter (for all freight containers is "U").

A BIC Code is a part of identification number (included into the mandatory container marking).

A container identification number consists of:

• a BIC Code;
• any six Arabic numerals;
• a check digit calculated on the BIC website.

2. Who can apply for registration of a BIC Code?

"Container owner (owner)" is an individual or a legal entity having the rights of actual owner of the container.

The application shall be filled out by the container owner. Notwithstanding the above, an owner's representative (ship agent, freighter, container manufacturer, etc.) may apply on behalf of the owner subject to the following:

• he is duly authorized for it by the owner;
• the owner is aware of the terms and conditions and the registration procedure.

The BIC reserves the right to verify the authority of such a representative.

One applicant may receive more than one BIC Code if the BIC finds the reasons given in writing satisfactory. One of such reason may be the operation of different container types.

A BIC Code may be reserved and registered for an applicant who does not currently have containers, provided that the applicant intends to purchase and mark the containers.

Requirements for container marking are provided in ISO 6346.

3. BIC Code registration procedure.

First, the applicant shall get acquainted with the application procedure, which is available on the BIC website.

3.1. Registration of a new BIC Code.

Complete the application form in English located on the BIC website. To save time, it is required to provide three BIC Code options for the case when the proposed BIC Code is already in use.

Note:

The following BIC Codes cannot be registered: BICU, IIIU, IRUU, ISOU, OOOU, XXXU, YYYU, ZZZU.

From the time when the BIC receives the application, the registration procedure begins, which includes the following steps:

• checking the possibility to register one of the proposed BIC Codes. If all of the proposed codes are in use, the applicant will be notified and shall submit new combinations of BIC Codes;
• sending a confirmation that the BIC has reserved one code option along with an invoice for the registration fee;
• payment of registration fee. The applicant shall pay the registration fee in accordance with the BIC invoice. The registration fee of EUR 2,000 (plus EUR 46 membership fee) shall be paid without delay. The BIC Code reservation period for payment is two weeks, upon the expiration of which the exclusive reservation is canceled. Bank and other charges are paid additionally by the payer;
• official registration, which will allow marking of containers with the registered BIC Code. Within one month following the receipt of funds to the account, the BIC shall create and issue a registration certificate of the code and send it to the applicant. Note: it is necessary to take the above timeframe into account when planning the work activities.

3.2. Re-registration of an existing BIC Code.

A situation may arise where the entire container fleet is transferred from company A to company B. To confirm the change of ownership of the container fleet, a new owner B may register a new BIC Code (or use a previously registered BIC Code), but in this case the containers must be re-marked.

As a solution to this problem for the new owner, the BIC provides owners A and B with the option of transferring the BIC Code without an intermediate period of 10 years when the BIC Code cannot be assigned to any applicant.

In this case, both companies shall contact the BIC separately or jointly providing the information on such transfer of containers and the intention to re-register the code.

Together with the applicants, the BIC will verify the possibility of such re-registration. On positive decision the BIC will cancel the registration of the previous code holder (company A) and re-register this code to the new holder (company B) without applying a period of 10 years.

The re-registration fee is EUR 2,000 (and EUR 46 for the membership fee). Bank and other charges shall be paid additionally by the payer.

Note:

The registration certificate is not a confirmation of the container ownership, at the same time the certificate confirms that a BIC Code was registered in compliance with the requirements of ISO 6346 and the Customs Convention on Containers, 1972.

4. As a result of registration:

• all containers owned by the owner can be marked with a BIC Code from the date of registration (not earlier);
• the BIC provides a BIC Code protection to its holder. If unauthorized use of the BIC Code by another company is detected, the BIC Code owner is encouraged to inform the BIC and to provide all possible information for the BIC follow-up action;
• each container marked with a BIC Code of the type _ _ _ U is officially and world-wide known as owned or used (refer to 2) by the BIC Code holder registered by the BIC, with full responsibility (legal, commercial, insurance, etc.).

In the event of container(s) transfer to ownership of another company, the above responsibility shall remain valid for a BIC Code holder until:

• the BIC Code is removed from the container(s);
• the marking is replaced by the new owner marking registered by the BIC;
• the BIC Code is re-registered to another owner with marking unchanged.

5. Annual renewal of registration.

The renewal fee of EUR 475 (and EUR 46 for the membership fee) is charged additionally for each calendar year following the registration year. Bank and other charges are paid additionally by the payer.

Note:

BIC-registered companies are reminded to pay their annual invoices for renewal of the container owner's BIC Code registration on time.

The BIC invoice processing procedure and actions in the event of non-payment:

Invoices for current year BIC Code registration renewals are billed and sent by the BIC by February 15 of the current year.

The first reminder for non-payment is April 1 (notice is sent via email).

The second reminder for non-payment is May 15 (notice is sent via email).

The first notice of possible BIC Code cancellation for non-payment of the annual fee is June 15 (notice is sent via email and fax).

The last notice of possible BIC Code cancellation for non-payment of the annual fee is September 1 (notice is sent via mail, email and fax).

BIC Code cancellation for non-payment is October 1 (notice is sent: "your BIC Code has been canceled, you must remove BIC Codes from all containers”.

6. Publication of a BIC code.

The registered BIC codes with the names and addresses of their holders are usually published once a year. This edition is called CONTAINERS BIC-CODE REGISTER.

Another form of publication is an electronic register posted on the official BIC website (https://www.bic-code.org/) in the BIC Codes Section, which is updated on monthly basis.

One copy of the CONTAINERS BIC-CODE REGISTER for each registered BIC Code will be sent to the BIC Code holder free of charge. If required, the BIC Code holder may provide additional information to include into the CONTAINERS BIC-CODE REGISTER (for example, addresses of branch offices).

7. Removal from the register.

The BIC shall cancel the registration and remove the BIC Code from the BIC-CODE Register:

• at the request of the owner;
• following the instructions of arbitration court;
• when the annual BIC Code renewal fee is not paid.

Note:

A cancelled BIC Code may not be registered for another applicant for 10 years.

The BIC may request the owner to confirm in writing where all containers used in international circulation, which he owns, are actually marked with the registered BIC Code. If such declaration is not provided within six months, the BIC Code may be canceled.

8. Warning.

The BIC shall not incur any liability with respect to sale, wastage of operational integrity or lease of containers where the BIC has not been properly notified and/or containers have not been re-marked.

Note:

The BIC shall not be responsible for the removal of a BIC Code from the register due to non-payment of the annual fee when the owner has not notified the BIC of an address change.

9. Disputes.

Once a case occurs when the right to any BIC Code registered or reserved in the name of the applicant is discussed or disputed in any way, the applicant shall submit to the BIC complete information regarding this case. If the dispute concerns a reserved BIC Code, the BIC may withhold the final registration until the dispute is settled. Reservation shall remain valid subject to the stipulated conditions.

Where such a dispute cannot be settled by agreement, it shall be referred to and decided in arbitration under the Rules of Conciliation and Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce by one judge, and the applicant shall agree to accept and comply with this decision.

In case of a dispute between an applicant and the BIC, the same procedure shall be applied.

10. Final provisions.

If any of the provisions set forth herein contradict the law, then these provisions shall be considered invalid.

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