Overview
ISO/TS 7352:2023 specifies technical requirements and system architecture for freight container NFC or/and QR code seals. The technical specification defines system composition, data formats, communication interfaces, operational rules and verification methods for NFC seals, QR code seals, and combined NFC+QR seals used to secure and track freight containers.
Key topics and technical requirements
- System composition: Seal, NFC read/write or QR code read device (e.g., smartphones with apps), and an information management platform (online and offline modes).
- Data formats:
- NFC seal data: Chip UID, NFC seal ID, manufacturer ID, optional container number (fields and sizes defined).
- QR code seal data: seal ID, manufacturer ID, produceDate (YYYYMMDDHHMMSS).
- NFC+QR: QR includes NFC chip UID plus seal and manufacturer IDs.
- Security & anti‑tampering: Seals are non‑reusable, anti‑counterfeiting, with globally unique identifiers and read‑only fields for production-set IDs.
- Communication interfaces:
- NFC communication must follow ISO/IEC 14443-2/3 (frequency, modulation, anticollision, read/write).
- QR code symbology and encoding must comply with ISO/IEC 18004.
- Mechanical & environmental compliance:
- QR printing & read performance:
- Clear, flat printed QR; single read time ≤ 2 s; single reading rate ≥ 99.9%.
- Operational requirements:
- Read/write at sealing/unsealing points, automatic upload of time/place/operator and image/video, abnormality reporting and authenticity verification.
- Interoperability & data exchange: Defines data interaction between seal↔APP and APP↔platform and between platforms.
Applications and users
ISO/TS 7352:2023 is intended for practical deployment in container logistics to improve container security, traceability and operational transparency. Typical users include:
- Cargo owners and shipping companies
- Logistics providers and terminal operators
- Customs, inspection & quarantine authorities
- Port tally and gate operators
- NFC/QR seal manufacturers and device/app developers
- Information management platform operators
Practical applications: tamper evidence, quick Internet access to sealing records, multimodal transport accountability, real‑time supervision, and offline authenticity verification.
Related standards
Normative references cited by ISO/TS 7352:2023 include:
Keywords: ISO/TS 7352, NFC seal, QR code seal, freight container security, container sealing, data format, NFC+QR, ISO 17712, ISO/IEC 14443, ISO/IEC 18004.