Equipment Interchange Receipt (EIR)
An Equipment Interchange Receipt (EIR) is the document that records the condition of a container (and its handover) at the moment it passes between parties — for example when a trucker collects a box from or returns it to a terminal or depot. It notes the container number, seal, date, and any visible damage, and is signed by both sides.
The EIR is the evidence that fixes responsibility for container damage: by documenting the state of the box at each interchange (gate-in and gate-out), it establishes who held it when damage occurred, protecting the container owner and the interchanging party alike. It is a routine but important control at terminal and depot gates, and its data feeds container tracking, damage claims and depot operations.
Containers get damaged, and someone has to pay — the EIR is what decides who. By recording a box's condition every time it changes hands, it turns "it was already dented" disputes into a documented record. Clean EIR handling at the gate protects operators from unfair damage claims and keeps depot accounting straight.
When is an EIR issued?
At each interchange — when a container is gated in or out of a terminal or depot, or handed to or from a trucker.
Why is the EIR important?
It records the container's condition at handover, establishing who is responsible for any damage found later.