1 Introduction

Article VI of the Convention refers to the control measures that may be taken by Contracting Parties. Such control should be limited to verifying that the container carries a valid Safety Approval Plate, and an approved continuous examination programme (ACEP) or a valid Next Examination Date (NED) marking, unless there is significant evidence for believing that the condition of the container is such as to create an obvious risk to safety. This Annex provides specifics to enable authorized officers to assess the integrity of structurally sensitive components of containers and to help them decide whether a container is safe to continue in transportation or whether it should be stopped until remedial action has been taken. The criteria given are to be used to make immediate out of service determinations, and should not be used as repair or in-service criteria under a CSC ACEP or a periodic examination scheme.

2 Control measures

Authorized officers should consider the following:

.1 control should be exercised on those containers that create an obvious risk to safety;

.2 loaded containers with damages equal to, or in excess of, the criteria set forth below are deemed to place a person in danger. The authorized officer should stop those containers. However, the authorized officer may permit the onward movement of the container, if it is to be moved to its ultimate destination without lifting from its current means of transport;

.3 empty containers with damages equal to, or in excess of, the criteria set forth below are also deemed to place a person in danger. Empty containers are typically repositioned for repair at an owner-selected depot provided they can be safely moved; this can involve either a domestic or an international move. Any damaged container being repositioned should be handled and transported with due regard to its structural deficiency;

.4 authorized officers should notify the container owner, lessee or bailee, as appropriate, whenever a container is placed under control;

.5 the provisions set forth in this Annex are not exhaustive for all types of containers or all possible deficiencies or combination of deficiencies;

.6 damage to a container may appear serious without creating an obvious risk to safety. Some damage such as holes may infringe customs requirements but may not be structurally significant; and

.7 major damage may be the result of significant impact which could be caused by improper handling of the container or other containers, or significant movement of the cargo within the container. Therefore, special attention should be given to signs of recent impact damage.

3 Training of authorized officers

The Contracting Party exercising control should ensure that authorized officers tasked to carry out these assessments and control measures receive the necessary training. This training should involve both theoretical and practical instruction.

4 Structurally sensitive components

4.1 The following components are structurally sensitive and should be examined for deficiencies in accordance with the following table:

(i) | (ii) | (iii) | (iv) | (v) | (vi) | (vii)

Structurally sensitive component | Serious deficiency requiring immediate out-of-service determination | Deficiency requiring advice to owner and restrictions for transport | Restrictions to be applied in case of deficiencies according to column (iii)

Empty container | Loaded container

Sea transport | Other modes | Sea transport | Other modes

Top rail | Local deformation to the rail in excess of 60 mm or separation or cracks or tears in the rail material in excess of 45 mm in length. (see Note 1) | Local deformation to the rail in excess of 40 mm or separation or cracks or tears in the rail material in excess of 10 mm in length. (see Note 1) | No restriction | No restriction | Bottom lifting not allowed, Top lifting allowed only by use of spreaders without chains | Bottom lifting not allowed, Top lifting allowed only by use of spreaders without chains

Note 1: On some designs of tank containers the top rail is not a structurally significant component.

Bottom rail | Local deformation perpendicular to the rail in excess of 100 mm or separation cracks or tears in the rail’s material in excess of 75 mm in length (see Note 2) | Local deformation perpendicular to the rail in excess of 60 mm or separation cracks or tears in the rail's material of the upper flange in excess of 25 mm in length; or of web in any length (see Note 2) | No restriction | No restriction | Lifting at (any) corner fitting not allowed | Lifting at (any) corner fitting not allowed

Note 2: The rails material does not include the rail's bottom flange.

Header | Local deformation to the header in excess of 80 mm or cracks or tears in excess of 80 mm in length | Local deformation to the header in excess of 50 mm or cracks or tears in excess of 10 mm in length | Container shall not be overstowed | No restriction | Container shall not be overstowed | No restriction

Sill | Local deformation to the sill in excess of 100 mm or cracks or tears in excess of 100 mm in length. | Local deformation to the sill in excess of 60 mm or cracks or tears in excess of 10 mm in length | Container shall not be overstowed | No restrictions | Container shall not be overstowed | No restrictions

Corner posts | Local deformation to the post in excess of 50 mm or cracks or tears in excess of 50 mm in length | Local deformation to the post in excess of 30 mm or cracks or tears of any length | Container shall not be overstowed | No restrictions | Container shall not be overstowed | No restrictions

Corner and intermediate fittings | Missing corner fittings, any through cracks or tears in the fitting, any deformation of the fitting that precludes full engagement of the securing or lifting fittings (see Note 3) or any weld separation of adjoining components in excess of 50 mm in length | Weld separation of adjoining components of 50 mm or less | Container shall not be lifted on board a ship if the damaged fittings prevent safe lifting or securing. | Container shall be lifted and handled with special care | Container shall not be loaded on board a ship. | Container shall be lifted and handled with special care

Any reduction in the thickness of the plate containing the top aperture that makes it less than 25 mm thick | Container shall be lifted and handled with special care Container shall not be overstowed when twistlocks have to be used | Container shall be lifted and handled with special care | Container shall not be lifted by the top corner fittings. | Container shall be lifted and handled with special care.

Any reduction in the thickness of the plate containing the top aperture that makes it less than 26 mm thick | Container shall not be overstowed when fully automatic twistlocks are to be used | Container shall be lifted and handled with special care | Container shall not be used with fully automatic twistlocks. | Container shall be lifted and handled with special care.

Note 3 The full engagement of securing or lifting fittings is precluded if there is any deformation of the fitting beyond 5 mm from its original plane, any aperture width greater than 66 mm, any aperture length greater than 127 mm or any reduction in thickness of the plate containing the top aperture that makes it less than 23 mm thick.

Understructure | Two or more adjacent cross members missing or detached from the bottom rails. 20% or more of the total number of cross members missing or detached. (see Note 4) | One or two cross members missing or detached (see Note 4) | No restrictions | No restrictions | No restrictions | No restrictions

More than two cross members missing or detached (see Notes 4 and 5) | No restrictions | No restrictions | Maximum payload shall be restricted to 0.5 x P | Maximum payload shall be restricted to 0.5 x P