BoxTech Adds Live Tank Data to Speed Up Safety Checks
New integration allows ocean carriers to verify tank container data instantly, replacing manual processes.
Updated on Oct. 29, 2026 in Cybersecurity
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The International Tank Container Organisation (ITCO) and Bureau International des Containers (BIC) have integrated live tank container data into the BoxTech platform. This allows ocean carriers to instantly verify container specifications and inspection certificates using a standardized set of 14 attributes.
Why it matters
The integration replaces a manual, email-heavy onboarding process that currently requires 30 minutes of labor per tank. By digitizing this data, the industry aims to improve safety and operational efficiency for global container logistics.
The system utilizes a core set of 14 attributes to describe each unit, integrating this into a database that already tracks over 15 million containers. This resource now serves over 6,000 registered users from more than 900 container owners and operators.
The players
ITCO
The International Tank Container Organisation, an industry body representing tank container operators and manufacturers.
BIC
The Bureau International des Containers, which manages the BoxTech global container database and container identification codes.
Stolt Tank Containers
A major operator of tank containers that provided initial fleet data for the BoxTech integration.
Bertschi
A European logistics provider specializing in liquid chemicals that participated in the initial data upload.
The details
Tank operators transmit their fleet data to the platform through API, SFTP, or web interfaces. Ocean carriers then perform safety checks by querying these digital records, which eliminates the need for manual data entry and repeated email exchanges. Stolt Tank Containers and Bertschi have already uploaded several hundred units and their respective inspection certificates to demonstrate the capability.
Timeline
October 29, 2026: ITCO and BIC announced the integration of live tank data into BoxTech.
Early 2027: A pilot program for automated tank container onboarding is scheduled to launch.
The Tech Race
This integration marks the first practical use case for the ITCO Digital Twin, which seeks to modernize traditional shipping workflows. It follows a industry trend of centralizing logistics data to match the capabilities of the broader BoxTech ecosystem.
Ocean carriers and logistics operators gain access to live inspection data starting now, streamlining safety compliance workflows. Future expansion into a full digital passport will further automate fleet management as the pilot program rolls out in 2027.
The takeaway
The transition from manual email exchanges to API-based verification establishes a baseline for future digital container passports. Industry observers should watch for the results of the 2027 pilot program to see if automated onboarding scales across all major global ocean carriers.
What happens next
Ocean carriers will begin a pilot program in early 2027 to test automated onboarding processes.
Further reading
For more on how the shipping industry is digitizing logistics, see our coverage in Cybersecurity.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Hellenic Shipping News.
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