Container Interest Register (CIR)

A New Level of Transparency in Container Finance

Intermodal containers are essential to global trade, yet unlike ships or aircraft, no trusted, international system to verify ownership, security interests, or long-term lease status. While the industry has developed pragmatic practices to manage this, greater transparency would build lender and investor confidence, unlock wider financing opportunities, reduce exposure to disputes and fraud, and assist in asset recovery.

The Container Interest Register (CIR) was developed by BIC and Quincy Consulting in collaboration with leading lessors, carriers, banks, and legal experts to address this gap. Linked directly to the BIC’s BoxTech Global Container Database, the CIR provides a secure, searchable register of container-level interests.

The CIR was run as a pilot project in late 2025, resulting in the publication of a white paper. BIC seeks further expressions of interest from a wide range of industry participants prior to proceeding with a production roll-out of the CIR.

The CIR White Paper

Read it here

Express your Interest

Contact BIC

What the CIR Does

The CIR platform enables:

Recording of interests – ownership, security, and long-term lease interests at the container level.
Integration with BoxTech – every registration is tied to authenticated BIC codes and BoxTech specifications.
Real-time registry search – quickly verify registered interests across fleets.
Bulk data uploads – API connectivity supports integration with lenders’ and lessors’ systems.

Benefits for Stakeholders

By closing the visibility gap, the CIR delivers tangible advantages:

Banks & Lenders – stronger collateral validation, reduced risk of double-pledging and fraud, improved portfolio oversight.
Container Lessors, Owners & Carriers – easier asset protection, better access to financing.
Legal Professionals – reliable evidence for due diligence and dispute resolution.
Insurers – faster claims handling and subrogation.

“The CIR platform will help perfect security interests, addressing the absence of an international registry in container finance and supporting regulatory compliance.” – ING

Looking Ahead

With broad adoption, the CIR could evolve into a de facto international standard, strengthening industry practices and paving the way for future legal recognition under frameworks such as the Cape Town Convention. We invite you to study the white paper, provide feedback, and engage with BIC if interested in the initiative.