Equipment Interchange Receipt (EIR): Checking Container Condition Before and After Shipping

A shipping container is a piece of equipment that belongs to a carrier or leasing company, and you borrow it for the duration of your shipment. The document that records the condition in which you received it and the condition in which you handed it back is the Equipment Interchange Receipt, or EIR. It is a small piece of paper (or a screen entry) that rarely gets attention until a repair bill arrives, at which point it becomes the most important document in the dispute.

This article explains what an EIR records, what to check on a container before it is loaded, how container defects turn into cargo damage claims, and how to protect yourself at both ends of a China to Chattogram shipment.

What an Equipment Interchange Receipt actually is

“Interchange” refers to the hand-over of equipment between parties: the carrier to the trucker, the trucker to the terminal, the shipper to the depot. Each time a container passes through a gate, the operator records the container number, the date and time, the seal number if one is fitted, the party taking custody, and any visible damage. That record is the EIR. When an empty container leaves a depot to be loaded, an out-EIR is issued; when it is returned, an in-EIR is issued. Comparing the two shows whether damage appeared while it was in someone’s custody.

The EIR is not a guarantee that the container is sound. It records what the gate inspector noticed at a glance, which is usually external structure: dents, holes, missing door hardware and obvious corrosion. It says little about a pinhole of light in the roof or a wet floor. That is why your own inspection matters.

What to check before cargo goes in

If your supplier or forwarder controls loading in China, ask for photos taken before stuffing begins. A short checklist that a warehouse supervisor can complete in minutes:

• Doors and gaskets. Rubber seals should be intact and doors should close and lock fully. A door that does not seat properly lets in rain and cargo sweat.
• The light test. Step inside, close the doors and look for pinpricks of daylight in the walls and roof. Any light means water can get in during a monsoon or a wash-down.
• Floor condition. Wooden floors should be dry, flat and free of protruding nails or splinters that can tear cartons. A patched or freshly painted floor can hide previous damage.
• Smell and residue. Chemical odours, spilled powder or dampness from a previous cargo can contaminate food, textiles or paper goods. A strong smell is a reason to reject the box.
• Structural plates and markings. The safety approval plate should be present and legible, and the container number should match the booking. The corner castings should show no cracks.
• Cleanliness and pests. Leftover wood, soil or insects can create quarantine and fumigation problems at destination. See fumigation requirements and ISPM 15 wood packaging compliance.

If the container fails, ask for a replacement before loading. It is far cheaper to swap a box at the depot than to sort damaged goods at the destination port.

How container defects become cargo damage

Most container-related cargo claims share a mechanism. A small leak, a torn floor or a failing door seal allows moisture or contaminants into the cargo space. The damage is only discovered when the container is opened in Bangladesh, weeks later, and by then nobody is sure whether the cause was the container, the packing, or handling on the voyage. Photographs taken at stuffing, together with the out-EIR, are the evidence that separates “the box was defective when we received it” from “the goods were badly packed”. Our guide to cargo damage claims explains how those disputes progress, and container loading tips covers packing so that cargo does not cause the damage itself.

The return side: the in-EIR and repair charges

When the empty container is returned, the depot or terminal inspects it and records any damage. If they note something that was not on the out-EIR, the carrier may charge for repair and, depending on the terms, hold you responsible. Carriers typically invoice the party who booked the equipment, often with a survey report and an estimate, and disputes turn on whether the damage existed at pickup. This is why many experienced importers photograph the container from all sides when they take it and again when it is returned, and why they keep the paperwork long after the cargo is sold.

Detention accrues while the container is out of the carrier’s control, and a delayed return caused by an unresolved damage dispute can extend it. Read demurrage and detention charges and free time at Chattogram so you understand how clocks run while an inspection is pending.

Who is responsible at each stage

Responsibility follows custody. Under a typical shipper-loaded, carrier-owned arrangement, the exporter or their factory carries the container while it is stuffed and moved to the port, the carrier carries it on the vessel, and the consignee or their transporter carries it after discharge. For an FCL import into Bangladesh, the consignee’s clearing agent normally arranges the empty return. If you are buying on FOB or CIF terms, much of the China-side custody sits with the seller, but you inherit the consequences in cargo condition, so do not treat the foreign leg as someone else’s problem. If seals are involved, container bolt seals and ISO 17712 explains how a broken or mismatched seal is handled.

Mistakes that cost money

• Accepting a container without looking inside. The out-EIR only covers the outside view.
• No photos at pickup. Without them a repair charge is your word against the carrier’s survey.
• Losing the EIR copy. Keep both the out and in receipts with the shipment file.
• Returning the box dirty or with stuck dunnage. Cleaning or debris removal can be charged separately.
• Ignoring small holes. A repairable puncture becomes a wet-cargo claim later.

A simple routine to adopt

Ask your forwarder for the container number and out-EIR as soon as the empty is released. Have the factory send stuffing photos, including the empty interior, the loaded stages and the sealed doors. On arrival, confirm the seal number, photograph the container before opening, and store everything against the bill of lading. Return the empty promptly, collect the in-EIR, and file it. It is ten minutes of discipline that removes most arguments. If you want us to oversee loading in China or manage the return in Chattogram, tell us about your shipment and we will explain the process and the charges that apply to your booking.

A short pre-return checklist

Before the empty leaves your premises, walk around it once more. Confirm that all dunnage, straps, airbags and packaging debris are removed, that the floor is swept, that the door hardware moves freely and that the container number matches the return order. If you find pre-existing damage that was not on the out-EIR, photograph it with a visible timestamp and send it to your forwarder the same day, not when the invoice arrives. Ask the depot clerk to note it on the in-EIR before you sign or leave; a marginal note made at the gate is worth far more than an email written three weeks later. Finally, keep in mind that depots differ in how strictly they inspect, so a clean return at one yard is not proof that a stricter one would accept the same condition. For very valuable or sensitive cargo, consider asking the forwarder whether a cargo surveyor can attend stuffing or unloading — the fee is small compared with a disputed claim.

Need help with your own shipment? Explore our sourcing and logistics services, contact the DE International team for a quote built around your cargo, look at our China sourcing and buying agent service, or browse the catalogue.