International Standard ISO 17712, Freight Containers – Mechanical Seals, published in September 2010, Is the Third Generation Of 17712. The First Generation Was a Publicly Available Specification (PAS) Published In 2003; The
Second Generation Was a Revision To ISO/PAS 17712 Published In 2006. The Generations Are Cumulative Except For Some Fine-Tuning of Earlier Work.

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) Permits Its Technical  ommittees to Draft and Vote on Publicly Available Specifications (PAS) As, In Effect, A Kind of Interim International Standard. A PAS Is Faster to Approve Than a Formal Standard, But It Has a Limited Shelf-Life.

The First Generation: ISO Technical Committee (TC) 104, Freight Containers, Formed Working Group 8  WG8), Mechanical Seals Late In 2002. Industry and Government Experts Concluded That an International Standard on Mechanical Security Seals Would Enhance Post-9/11 Cargo Security. Using ISO’s PAS Procedures, ISO/PAS 17712 Was Finished Quickly. The PAS Focused on The Physical Parameters of Three Classes or Levels of Seal Barrier Strength: Indicative (“I”), Security (“S”), And High Security (“H”). The Barrier Strength of a Seal Was and Still Is Measured with Four Tests: Impact, Shear, Bend and Tensile Strength. The Test Values That Distinguished Between “I”, “S” And “H” Classes Reflected Numbers in Use by Major Customs Authorities.

The Quality of Seals Used in International Trade Improved as Trade-Related Programs Encouraged or Required Use Of ISO-Compliant “H” Seals. Two of The Earliest Programs Were the US Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) And the World Customs Organization’s “Framework of Standards to Secure and Facilitate Global Trade.”

ISO/PAS 17712:2003’s Narrow Scope Reflected the Time-Urgency of Industry Stakeholders. It Was Clear That the Seal Suppliers’ Security-Related Business Practices Were At Least As Important as  The Physical Strength of a Seal. Seal Manufacturers and Distributors with Immature or Careless Security-Related Management Practices Could Effectively Compromise the Security of The Best Physical Seal Before It Was Shipped Out Of The Door.

Benefits of ISO PAS 17712:2010

• Reducing shipping delays that result when seals are lost or broken.
• Speed up logistic procedures.
• When checking seals for signs of tampering, tamper-evident seals should permit personnel, with the suitable training, to detect compromised seals more simply.
• Reduced possibility of cargo theft or tampering.
• Reduced possibility of unofficial material being inserted into containers or other tools of global traffic (IIT).