Standards and certification
Approved Continuous Examination Program (ACEP)
An Approved Continuous Examination Program is one of two container safety examination schemes allowed under the CSC. A national administration approves it if the owner shows it gives a standard of safety not below the periodic scheme. The container is inspected as part of normal operation instead of on a fixed calendar.
Why it matters
ACEP lets container owners, usually large lessors and lines, examine boxes when they pass through depots rather than pull them out on a set date. Containers in an ACEP must be inspected at least as often as the periodic scheme requires. The ACEP number shows on the CSC plate, often as a decal. Administrations review programs at least every 10 years. BIC runs a global ACEP database. For a portable storage operator, an ACEP number on a purchased unit tells you which owner program covered it. A common mistake is to think the number guarantees the unit is in good shape today. Ask for recent inspection records.
Read: Buying containers wholesale: A buyer's guide for operators
Definition source: bic-code.org
Related terms
periodic examination scheme
The periodic examination scheme is one of two approved CSC ways to keep a container safe in service. The container is examined before its fifth anniversary after manufacture, then at intervals of no more than 30 months. The next examination date is marked on the CSC plate.
CSC plate
A CSC plate is a metal safety approval plate fixed to a freight container under the International Convention for Safe Containers. It shows that the container was approved for international transport and carries the technical data and examination information for that container. The plate is usually fixed to a container door.
International Convention for Safe Containers (CSC)
The International Convention for Safe Containers is a 1972 treaty written by the International Maritime Organization and the United Nations. It sets uniform test, inspection, approval and maintenance rules for containers in international transport. It was adopted on December 2, 1972 and entered into force on September 6, 1977.
container inspection
A container inspection is a check of a container's outside, inside, doors, floor and roof for damage, leaks and wear. Buyers do it before purchase. Operators do it when units go out and come back. It can be a quick look or a formal review to a standard.
container survey
A container survey is a formal inspection of a container by a qualified surveyor, with a written result. Surveys check that a container meets safety standards, such as the CSC, before shipping. They can also support valuation and damage assessment. Costs vary by provider.
Institute of International Container Lessors (IICL)
The Institute of International Container Lessors is the trade association of the marine container leasing and chassis provider industry. It was organized in 1971 as a Delaware corporation. It sets equipment inspection and repair standards, publishes manuals and supports inspector certification and training.
For the industry
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