ISO 17712 cargo seals

Scope

ISO 17712 cargo seals can be used by carriers and shippers crossing the border.

Regulatory citations

• None

Key definitions

• None

Summary of requirements

The ISO 17712 (Freight containers — Mechanical seals) seal standards were built upon ASTM Standard 1157, Standard Practice for Classifying the Relative Performance of the Physical Properties of Security Seals. The ISO 17712 high security seal must have the manufacturer’s name on it and a discreet “H” on the bolt head and body head. Both the body and the head have dual numbering in order to match the two pieces. Previous to the new standard, the distributor’s name could have appeared predominantly while the manufacturer’s name was discreetly hidden for marketing purposes. The old version of the seal created another layer of investigation in the event CBP wanted to trace the origin of the seal and the parties that lead it to its final destination at the U.S. port of entry.

ISO testing standards. In order to be ISO-approved, the seal must be tested. The ISO standard requires a tensile strength of 2,200 pounds. The seal must undergo four other tests to be approved as ISO 17712, including:

• Bending strength;
• Cycling strength (when a cable starts to shear);
• Impact strength (including variations in temperature); and
• Cutting strength.

The seal must be recertified on a yearly basis.

ISO-required security best practices. ISO takes the certification of the seal even a step further by requiring specific security best practices:

• The manufacturer must demonstrate security best practices, including information control and traceability.
• The manufacturer must also maintain ISO 9000 Certification (Quality Management System) to be ISO 17712 certified.
• To keep counterfeiting of cargo seals to a minimum, the ISO standard requires that manufacturers to never repeat seal numbers. This keeps seal manufacturers from unknowingly copying other seals.
• Records associated with a specific seal number must be maintained for a period of seven years by the manufacturer and distributor in the event law enforcement investigates the use and chain of custody of the seal.
• Manufacturers must track the seal numbers manufactured and to whom they were sold. If sold to a distributor, the manufacturer must make sure that its distributors in turn track those incoming seal numbers and who they sell each number to. This must be monitored in order for the manufacturer to maintain its ISO certification of the high security seal. Manufacturers must also secure storage areas including access to raw materials.