Packing List — Container Generator
Packing list broken down by container, for FCL shipments where each line must be traced to a container and seal.
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| Container No. | Item # | Description | Qty | Unit | Pkgs | Pkg Type | Net Wt (KG) | Gross Wt (KG) | Vol (CBM) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
About this document
A container packing list ties each line of goods to the container and seal it travels in. For a single full container load that distinction hardly matters, but the moment a consignment spreads across two or more containers, it becomes the only document that answers the question everyone eventually asks: which box is it in.
Why the container and seal numbers matter
Containers arrive separately, get inspected separately, and occasionally get held separately. When customs opens one of three, they compare its contents against the paperwork for that container, not for the whole shipment. A list that records only shipment totals cannot answer them, and the delay is charged to you in demurrage while it is sorted out.
The seal is the security record
The seal number recorded at loading is what proves the container was not opened in transit. If the seal at destination does not match the one on the paperwork, that is treated as a possible tampering event and the shipment is inspected. Recording the number accurately at the point of sealing, rather than copying it from the booking, is the whole value of the field.
Splitting the goods across containers
Where an order fills more than one container, decide how to split it before packing rather than after. Keeping each product line whole within one container makes every later document simpler, and makes a partial inspection cheaper because only one line is disturbed. Splitting a single line across two containers is sometimes unavoidable. It should be a decision rather than an accident.
Want a blank one, in Excel or Word? Download the packing list — container template →
Not sure what goes in a box? How to fill out a packing list — container, field by field →
Keep building your document set
- Commercial InvoiceGoods, values and payment details.
- Packing List — DetailedPackages, weights and dimensions.
- Certificate of OriginThe declared origin of your goods.
- Bill of LadingShipper, consignee and cargo details.
- Shipper's Letter of InstructionInstructions for your freight forwarder.
- Verified Gross Mass DeclarationThe verified weight of a packed container.
Questions
+What is the difference between FCL and LCL?
Full container load means your goods fill a container of their own. Less than container load means your goods share a container with other shippers, consolidated by a freight forwarder. A container packing list is aimed at FCL, where you control what is inside.
+Where do I get the container and seal numbers?
From the container itself at the point of loading. The container number is stencilled on the doors and sides. The seal number is on the seal you fit after loading. Both should be photographed, because a transcription error here is expensive to unpick later.
+Does the container number go on the bill of lading too?
Yes, and the two must agree. The bill of lading, the packing list and the export declaration are cross-checked, and a container number that appears differently on any of them will hold the shipment.
+What is a VGM and is it the same as the weight on this list?
The verified gross mass is the weight of the cargo plus the container itself, and it must be declared to the carrier before loading under SOLAS rules. The packing list usually records cargo weight only, so the two figures legitimately differ. Do not copy one into the other.
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