Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Version 3.5
February, 2017
1.1.1 Triton International Dry Van Inspection Manual
Table of Contents
(Hold “Ctrl” button and click on any item below to go directly to that section of the manual.)
1 INTRODUCTION.................................................................................................................................................3
2 REPAIR STANDARDS & GUIDELINES .........................................................................................................4
2.1 LOCAL PORT STANDARDS ............................................................................................................................. 4
2.2 REPAIR COST ALLOCATION ........................................................................................................................... 4
2.3 PREEXISTING CONDITIONS ............................................................................................................................ 4
2.4 IMPROPER / NONCONFORMING REPAIRS ...................................................................................................... 5
2.5 TRITON DEPOT REPAIRS ............................................................................................................................... 5
2.6 CORROSION TESTING (HAMMER TESTING) .................................................................................................. 6
3 DAMAGE EXAMPLES ......................................................................................................................................8
3.1 EXTERIOR PANELS ........................................................................................................................................ 8
3.1.1 Triton Standards .................................................................................................................................. 8
3.1.2 Ports with Onhire Standards Exceeding IICL & Triton Standards ............................................... 8
3.1.3 Exterior Panel Damage Samples...................................................................................................... 9
3.2 FRAME ......................................................................................................................................................... 42
3.2.1 Triton Standards ................................................................................................................................ 42
3.2.2 Frame Damage Samples ................................................................................................................. 42
3.3 DOORS & GASKETS ..................................................................................................................................... 54
3.3.1 Triton Standards ................................................................................................................................ 54
3.3.2 Ports With Onhire Standards Exceeding IICL & Triton Standards ............................................ 54
3.3.3 Door & Gasket Damage Samples .................................................................................................. 55
3.4 UNDERSTRUCTURE ...................................................................................................................................... 71
3.4.1 Triton Standards ................................................................................................................................ 71
3.4.2 Understructure Damage Samples .................................................................................................. 71
3.5 INTERIOR W ALLS ......................................................................................................................................... 84
3.5.1 Triton Standards ................................................................................................................................ 84
3.5.2 Ports with Onhire Standards Exceeding IICL & Triton Standards ............................................. 85
3.5.3 Interior Wall Damage Samples ....................................................................................................... 85
3.6 FLOOR .......................................................................................................................................................... 98
3.6.1 Triton Standards ................................................................................................................................ 98
3.6.2 Ports with Onhire Standards Exceeding IICL & Triton Standards ............................................. 98
3.6.3 Floor Damage Samples ................................................................................................................... 99
3.7 OPEN TOPS ............................................................................................................................................... 115
3.7.1 Triton Standards .............................................................................................................................. 115
3.7.2 Ports with Onhire Standards Exceeding IICL & Triton Standards ........................................... 115
3.7.3 Open Top Damage Samples ......................................................................................................... 115
1 Introduction
The Container Owners’ Organization (COA) and The Institute of International Container Lessors (IICL)
have issued criteria for the inspection and repair of containers. Triton requires that all Triton depots and
surveyors follow the COA’s Common Interchange Criteria (CIC) for inspection and the IICL guidelines for
all other inspection and repair standards not covered by the CIC. However, in some areas the COA and
the IICL have not fully defined the criteria, and it has been left to the container owners to establish their
own standards. These areas are commonly referred to as gray areas, and manuals such as this one are
called gray area manuals. In addition, there are areas where field practice or special circumstances have
resulted in standard interpretations and/or accepted modifications to the COA and IICL standards.
The photos and text within this manual describe Triton’s policies and procedures for these undefined and
discretionary areas. This manual also describes actual field interpretations of the COA and IICL
standards. As a practical matter, improper repairs (repairs not conforming to IICL recommended repair
methods or workmanship standards) make up the vast majority of gray areas, so this manual focuses on
Triton’s improper repair policies.
The intention of this manual is to provide guidance and training for Triton maintenance and repair
personnel, surveyors acting on behalf of Triton, and Triton depot operators and estimators. This manual
does not supplant the Common Interchange Criteria, IICL GUIDE FOR CONTAINER EQUIPMENT
INSPECTION, IICL REPAIR MANUAL FOR STEEL FREIGHT CONTAINERS , or any other IICL manual. Instead,
it complements these standards by clarifying and interpreting criteria such that they may be consistently
and unambiguously applied in actual field practice. Should the COA or IICL standards be revised
subsequent to the publication of this manual such that the revised standards contradict those in this
manual, the revised standards shall apply.
Triton has attempted to be fair, reasonable, and practical in addressing the areas discussed in this
manual. In particular, effort has been made to avoid requiring repairs that are not necessary for the
operation of the container. Conversely, though, some repairs have been required to meet the general
condition and cosmetic expectations of shippers and carriers.
This manual does not create any new standards, but merely documents existing industry practices.
Certain local differences may exist that require inspection or repair techniques that are not covered in this
manual or in the COA or IICL publications. In these situations, the decision of the Triton Maintenance
and Repair representative will override all other criteria.
There are ports, though, where shippers have local onhire standards that exceed these standards. The
local standards usually apply to cosmetic or interior cleanliness and condition requirements. To avoid
having to increase worldwide standards to meet the needs of a few above average standard ports and,
thereby, increase worldwide offhire repair costs; it is understood that the offhire damage inspection and
repair standards in these ports will be revised upward to meet the onhire standards.
In all cases, the fundamental IICL principle applies that, unless there is a prior agreement to the contrary
between the owner and user of the container, the criteria are to be applied equally at onhire and
offhire. As stated in the GUIDE FOR CONTAINER EQUIPMENT INSPECTION / FIFTH EDITION / IICL-5, “The
recommendations and definitions of terms must be applied consistently, both at onhire and offhire
interchanges.”
As a general guide, “Wear & Tear” is any repair-worthy condition that is a result of the normal
deterioration of the container when used in the manner for which it was designed and that could not have
been reasonably avoided by the user. “Wear & Tear” costs are allocated to Triton’s account.
Customer damage is any repair-worthy condition resulting from using the container in a manner for which
it was not designed and that could have reasonably been avoided by the lessee. Damage costs are
allocated to either the lessee’s account or to the DPP account.
If the lessee is able to produce an onhire survey report indicating that the condition was on the
container at the time of lease (i.e. a preexisting condition), the repair cost will be allocated to
Triton’s account.
In cases of shorter leases (e.g. less than one year), if the condition visually appears to be older
than the length of the lease, the repair cost will be allocated to Triton’s account even in the
absence of an onhire survey report.
Generally, Triton’s standards for reworking IRs can be grouped into five categories described as follows:
IRs that do not meet IICL workmanship standards and compromise the cargoworthiness of the
container.
Example: Unsound welding of a structural component.
Triton always requires correction of this category of IRs.
IRs that do not meet IICL workmanship standards but do not compromise the cargoworthiness of
the container.
Example: Rough panel straightening that does not return the original corrugation profile.
Triton seldom requires rework of this category of IRs.
IRs that do not meet IICL workmanship standards and do not compromise the cargoworthiness of
the container, but that are unacceptable for lease out in the offhire port.
Example: Unpainted interior panel straightening or patching.
Triton requires rework to the extent necessary to meet port onhire standards.
If two or three hard swings from the wrist with the Unicon hammer indicate that the material could be
penetrated with further strikes, repair is required. Actually penetrating the panels, though, should be
avoided as it reduces the sale value of retired containers.
Excessive hammer testing of sound material results in round holes the diameter of the hammer, and
when viewed from the opposite side, an extruded edge of ductile material is visible, sometimes with a
distinct edge where sound metal has been fractured (see photos below). Conversely, a hole in weak,
corroded material is irregular in shape, black or red rust in color, and not ductile (i.e. brittle).
3 Damage Examples
3.1 Exterior Panels
Improper in-service straightening is the most common panel improper repair problem. The IICL
workmanship standard for panel straightening requires that the panel be returned, as near as is possible,
to the original profile. The acceptability of the straightening workmanship is based on the extent to which
the corrugation bend radii and flats between the bend radii have been returned to their original positions
and profiles. In addition, both sides of the repair must be properly surface prepared and painted.
In-service panel repairs quite often do not meet the IICL workmanship standards: the panels are
hammered back within the inspection criteria without efforts being made to restore the corrugation
profiles, and the surface preparation and painting is substandard or omitted entirely.
3.1.1 Triton Standards
The IICL leaves the decision to correct improper repairs to the equipment owner. Triton’s standards can
be summarized as follows:
All repairs must be within CIC dimensional inspection criteria.
Improper in-service panel straightening or substandard painting does not require correction.
Patches or welds that were not painted at the time of repair require surface preparation and
painting.
Except for severe paint color mismatches, cosmetic painting is not required.
Cosmetic touchup of corrosion and preventative maintenance painting is not required.
Corrosion is repaired only if it fails a hammer test.
All ISO markings and the Triton side logo must be legible.
The photos on the following pages demonstrate the standards addressed above and explain other Triton
standards relative to exterior panel repairs.
3.1.2 Ports with Onhire Standards Exceeding IICL & Triton Standards
In certain ports, carriers and shippers have local standards for exterior panel condition that exceed IICL
and Triton standards, and containers not meeting these standards will be rejected for onhire. In these
cases, it is understood that the local port standard overrides the IICL and Triton standards, and the local
offhire damage inspection and repair standards will be raised to match the local onhire standards.
In all cases, the fundamental IICL principle applies that, unless there is a prior agreement to the contrary
between the owner and user of the container, the criteria are to be applied equally at onhire and
offhire. As stated in the GUIDE FOR CONTAINER EQUIPMENT INSPECTION / FIFTH E DITION / IICL-5, “The
recommendations and definitions of terms must be applied consistently, both at onhire and offhire
interchanges.”
Condition: Small patches fitted into the inboard or outboard panel corrugations.
Action: No action.
Note: There are no IICL minimum patch size limits provided the 13mm (1/2 inch) overlap requirement is
met.
Condition: Cut, fold, and weld roof corrugation repair showing good quality workmanship prior to
painting.
Action: Paint.
Note: Cut, fold, and weld roof corrugation repairs should only be done in locations where proper pressed
corrugation material is not available.
Condition: Mismatched side panel corrugations (steep angle corrugated panel used to replace a shallow
angle type side panel).
Action: No action.
Condition: Vent installed with rivets reversed (blind end of rivets protruding into cube).
Action: If rivets protrude into the cube more than 5mm, remove and replace with blind ends of rivets
outside.
3.2 Frame
3.2.1 Triton Standards
As the frame components are critical to the structural integrity of the container, Triton fully adheres to all
IICL repair standards and requires improper frame repairs to be reworked to those standards. In some
areas, the IICL repair standards are incomplete or unclearly specified. The photos on the following pages
specify Triton’s requirements in those areas.
Note: The correction of improper repairs that would require rep lacement or major rework
in the areas of the corner castings and corner posts should be discussed with the Triton
M&R Manager, as consideration must be given to the relative structural strengths of the
rework versus the nonconforming repair.
Condition: Corner post insert that extends through more than half of the cross sectional profile.
Action: No action.
Note: IICL repair standards allow corner post inserts to extend through more than half of the cross
sectional profile provided that the insert does not include more than one radius and comes no closer than
10 mm to the adjacent radii.
Condition: Top side rail insert ending at corner casting less than 300mm (12") in length.
Action: Replace insert to correct length.
Note: Inserts and sections in structural components must fully meet the dimension requirements of the
IICL repair standards. Being close is not good enough.
Condition: Rear sill insert with flange shorter than original profile.
Action: Replace insert and install a doubler if originally fitted.
Note: Insert and section materials for structural components must match or exceed the thicknesses and
dimensions of the original components. This is critical in the highly stressed areas near the corner
castings.
Note: It is recommended good practice to weld both sides of any repair adjacent to the corner castings.
Condition: Corner casting damaged in twist lock bearing area and in load path to side rail weld.
Condition: Corner casting damaged in twist lock bearing area (bearing area bowed upward and
chipped) and in load path to side rail weld.
In all cases, the fundamental IICL principle applies that, unless there is a prior agreement to the contrary
between the owner and user of the container, the criteria are to be applied equally at onhire and
offhire. As stated in the GUIDE FOR CONTAINER EQUIPMENT INSPECTION / FIFTH EDITION / IICL-5, “The
recommendations and definitions of terms must be applied consistently, both at onhire and offhire
interchanges.”
3.4 Understructure
3.4.1 Triton Standards
As the understructure components are critical to the structural integrity of the container, Triton fully
adheres to all CIC inspection and IICL repair standards and requires that improper frame repairs be
reworked to those standards. In some areas, the IICL repair standards are incomplete or unclearly
specified, additional repair methods have been introduced to the industry, or alternative measurement
methods have been adopted. The following photos specify Triton’s requirements in those areas.
3.4.2 Understructure Damage Samples
Condition: Crossmembers straightened by heating and shrinking the lower web and flange.
Action: No action.
Note: Straightening of downward bowed crossmembers by heat shrinking the lower web and flange to
pull the crossmember straight is an acceptable repair method, but it should not be confused with heating
and hammering the crossmember which produces an unacceptable result (as shown in the next photo).
Condition: Angle applied to front of crossmember to facilitate floorboard re-securing after floor board
section.
Action: Repair to meet requirements below.
Note: This is a Triton approved in-service repair provided it meets the following criteria:
1. Reinforcement angle must be one piece and of same thickness or thicker than the original
crossmember.
2. Reinforcement angle must extend from the center to the side rail if a single floor panel is replaced
or from side rail to side rail if two adjacent floor panels are replaced (second photo shows a single
panel replacement).
3. Reinforcement angle must be stitch welded to the crossmember web. Stitch welding must be
minimum 25mm length welds with a pitch of no greater than 100mm.
4. Repairs must be coated with primer and undercoating.
Note: This is not an approved Triton depot repair.
Condition: Flat plates applied to front of crossmember to facilitate floorboard re-securing after floor board
section.
Action: Repair.
Note: This is a Triton approved in-service repair provided it meets the following criteria:
1. Reinforcement angle must be one piece and of same thickness or thicker than the original
crossmember.
2. Reinforcement angle must extend from the center to the side rail if a single floor panel is replaced
or from side rail to side rail if two adjacent floor panels are replaced.
3. Reinforcement angle must be stitch welded to the crossmember web. Stitch welding must be
minimum 25mm length welds with a pitch of no greater than 100mm.
4. Repairs must be coated with primer and undercoating.
Note: This is not an approved Triton depot repair.
Scratching and abrasion of container interior walls presents one of the most difficult gray areas in
container maintenance and repair. There are an infinite number of degrees and types of interior wall
scratching and abrasion that determine repair cost allocation and, in combination with local port onhire
standards, determine repairworthiness.
In general, the accumulation of many small scratches overtime that do not cut to base metal, are limited
to the standing corrugations, and are at a level normal for the age of the container are not repair-worthy,
and if repair-worthy to meet local port standards, are allocated to the owner’s account.
At the other extreme, deep scratching with individually identifiable cuts (indicating one or a few loads of
very aggressive cargo) that cut through to the base metal and are located on both the standing and
recessed corrugations are signs of misuse of the container. This condition is generally repair-worthy and
chargeable to the lessee.
Between the two extremes listed above, judgment must be applied with particular attention paid to local
port onhire standards.
For more discussion on this topic see the IICL Supplement on Container Inspection and Repair: Gray
Areas / Second Edition, Section 3.6.
3.5.1 Triton Standards
The IICL leaves the decision to correct improper repairs to the equipment owner. Triton’s standards for
improper repair correction and other standards related to the container interior can be summarized as
follows:
The photos on the following pages demonstrate the standards addressed above and explain other Triton
standards relative to interior panel condition.
3.5.2 Ports with Onhire Standards Exceeding IICL & Triton Standards
In certain ports, carriers and shippers have local standards for interior wall condition and cleanliness that
exceed IICL and Triton standards, and containers not meeting these standards will be rejected for onhire.
In these cases, it is understood that the local port standard overrides the IICL and Triton standards, and
the local offhire standard will be raised to match the local onhire standard.
3.6 Floor
3.6.1 Triton Standards
There are various areas relative to allocating floor repairs to damage or wear & tear and the acceptability
of alternative repair methods that require clarification. The photos on the following pages specify Triton’s
standards in those areas.
3.6.2 Ports with Onhire Standards Exceeding IICL & Triton Standards
In certain ports, carriers and shippers have local standards for floor condition and cleanliness that exceed
IICL and Triton standards, and containers not meeting these standards will be rejected for onhire. In
these cases, it is understood that the local port standard overrides the IICL and Triton standards, and the
local offhire damage inspection and repair standards will be raised to match the local onhire standard. In
all cases, the fundamental IICL principle applies that, unless there is a prior agreement to the contrary
between the owner and user of the container, the criteria are to be applied equally at offhire and
onhire. As stated in the GUIDE FOR CONTAINER EQUIPMENT INSPECTION / FIFTH EDITION / IICL-5, “The
recommendations and definitions of terms must be applied consistently, both at onhire and offhire
interchanges.”
Note: Traditional tropical hardwood container flooring can be replaced with any approved marine
container flooring including bamboo (as shown above), Birch/Larch, Eucalyptus/hardwood, plastic, etc. as
are currently supplied in new production containers. Acceptable interior surfaces include phenolic surface
film, polyurethane coating, or any other suface currently supplied in new production containers.
Condition: Non repair-worthy gouge on board that has loose splintered areas.
Action: Remove splinters and sand rough edges to prevent cargo from getting caught on flooring.
Note: This repair is only required on the interior face of the floor board. Gouges on the underside of the
floor board are not repair-worthy unless they exceed the IICL gouge criteria.
Condition: Factory coated floor with coating scraped and worn off.
Action: No action.
Note: It is not necessary to recoat the interior floor surface when the original factory coating is worn off.
Floor section repairs to coated floors need not be coated.
Condition: Drilled hole in floor that cannot be repaired with a 13 mm diameter dowel.
Action: Repair with a dowel up to 22mm diameter.
Note: The IICL repair standard has been revised to allow dowel repairs up to 22mm. Reference IICL
Technical Bulletin: Revised Dowel Repair in Container Floors / IICL TB 004, 1 November 2006.
Condition: In-service dowel repair with unacceptable workmanship (does not go through the full
thickness of the floor).
Action: Repair with dowel if repair can be done within the IICL 22mm diameter limit. Otherwise, section
floor.
Condition: Peeling of floor coating due to lack of adhesion to oil contaminated floor.
Action: Remove coating and clean or replace flooring as required.
Note: In cases of severe oil contamination, over-coating the floor cannot be used to seal the floor. It is
left to the discretion of Triton’s Subsidiary Office M&R Manager to decide when over-coating is an
acceptable repair method.
Condition: Oil bleeding through coating used to seal oil contaminated floor.
Action: Remove coating, clean or replace flooring as required.
Note: In cases of severe oil contamination, over-coating the floor cannot be used to seal the floor. It is
left to the discretion of Triton’s Subsidiary Office M&R Manager to decide when over-coating is an
acceptable repair method.
Action: No Action.
Note: Materials must identical including color and seams must be fully stitched and sealed.
Note: Tarp must be replaced if unacceptable by local carrier or shipper standards.