Updated
Cargo worthy is a structural judgement about a used container: the frame is square, the floor is sound, the doors seal and operate, and there is no damage that would fail it for sea carriage. In practice it goes together with a valid CSC safety approval plate, which is the document a terminal actually inspects.
It is the grade to buy if the container will ever be shipped as freight equipment. It is the grade to skip if it will not.
What a cargo worthy assessment looks at
- Frame and racking — is the box square, do the doors align
- Floor — bearers sound, plywood not delaminated or holed
- Doors — hinges, cams, locking bars and gaskets all functional
- Panels — dents acceptable; holes, splits and through-corrosion are not
- Corner castings — undamaged and within tolerance, because everything is lifted from them
- Underside — cross-members free of structural corrosion
What it explicitly does not cover
Appearance. A cargo-worthy container can be dented, patched, and painted in three colours from three previous operators. That is entirely consistent with the grade, and buyers who expected otherwise are usually the ones who assumed cargo worthy meant "good condition".
If appearance matters, specify refurbished to a nominated RAL colour, and expect the structural grade to be quoted separately.
Cargo worthy and the CSC plate
They are related and not identical. Cargo worthy is a trade grade describing condition; the CSC plate is a safety approval under an international convention, with an examination date on it.
A container can be structurally cargo worthy with an expired plate — it needs re-examination, not repair. Conversely, a valid plate on a badly damaged unit means the last examination was some time ago. Check both, and check the date.