ISO Offers Systematic Approach to Container Security Tracking - ISO 17363
September 5, 2007 // Published as a news service by IHS
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The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) released ISO 17363:2007 - Supply chain applications of RFID - Freight containers, which defines the usage of read/write radio frequency identification (RFID) shipment tags for supply chain management (SCM), and defines the air-interface communications, a common set of required data structures and a commonly organized set of optional data requirements.
With international trade largely dependent on freight containers, this ISO standard has a huge potential to minimize handling costs, improve inventory tracking and availability of accurate real-time information, as well as to create a safe and secure international supply chain.
"Tracking freight containers in their movement is essential," said Craig Harmon, ISO's chair of the joint working group on supply chain applications of RFID.
"The publication of ISO 17363:2007 will provide a synergistic means of tracking freight containers throughout the supply chain from creation to consumption to recyclability to reuse."
As goods move through the supply chain, there are significant benefits in being able to track products in their movement, including loss prevention, inventory control and in-transit visibility.
RFID systems track moving objects by enabling data to be transmitted by a mobile device or tag, which is read by an RFID reader and processed according to the needs of a particular application.
The transmitted data may provide identification or location information, or specifics about the tagged product, like price, color or date of purchase. It can also include an entire shipping manifest.
"Freight containers may incorporate three specific-use RF tags - one that uniquely identifies the freight container for its lifetime (ISO 10891, formerly known as ISO 10374), a second that permits an automatic interrogation of a container seal to identify whether the container has been a victim of unauthorized tampering ( ISO 18185) and a third that can include a complete encrypted manifest of the container's contents (ISO 17363)," said Harmon.
"The combined utility of these three unique devices enable both a secure and efficient transportation environment for freight containers."
ISO 17363:2007 is intended to be used by RFID manufacturers, vendors and end-users. It is the first publication in a suite of standards soon to be published for supply chain application of RFID being undertaken by ISO TC 122 - Packaging and ISO TC 104 - Freight containers, that include the following:
- ISO FDIS 17364 - Supply chain applications of RFID - Returnable transport items.
- ISO FDIS 17365 - Supply chain applications of RFID - Transport units.
- ISO FDIS 17366 - Supply chain applications of RFID - Product packaging.
- ISO FDIS 17367 - Supply chain applications of RFID - Product tagging.
Source: International Organization for Standardization (ISO).