What is a Seal Number?
A seal number is a unique identification alphanumeric number of a shipping container. It is used to verify and confirm the shipment of a particular container from the port handler’s end. The bill of lading and the shipping manifest are the two documents that list a seal number.
Significance of Seal Number in an E-commerce Shipping and Delivery
A seal number significantly enhances the reliability of a shipment. Here is how it benefits e-commerce shipping and delivery.
- Identification: As several containers from different manufacturers are shipping at once, a seal number is used to identify specific consignments that a shipping company sent. Ideally, it tracks and confirms if an intermediate received the products.
- Safety: A seal number is provided once a security seal has secured a consignment. It allows shipping companies to protect products from being tampered with or stolen while shipping them.
Prerequisites of Seal Number and How It Works
The prerequisite of a seal number is to categorize, pack, group, and store the product in a specific container. Subsequently, a seal number then works in the following ways.
- Number allotment: A unique number is allotted once the container is sealed. The number is then listed in the bill of lading and the shipping manifest.
- Shipment and delivery confirmation: Containers are then shipped to the designated port. Once these containers reach their destination, the bill of lading is used to confirm them in the harbor.
Use Case With Seal Number
For example, XYZ is a container liner group preparing and sending a consignment. The seal number for the respective containers was X1234098. After shipment, the handler uses the bill of lading or the shipping manifest to identify and receive the container amongst six other containers that arrived.