HONG KONG's OOCL has issued an advisory to its customers saying that implementation by the US Customs Border Protection (CBP) of the new standard relating to the testing of a mechanical seal's ability to indicate evidence of container tampering, will be delayed until further notice.

The advisory concerns the new ISO standard for high security seals, the ISO 17712:2010.

The shipping group said in a statement that it has fully met the requirement specified within the new standard that was originally to come into effect on March 1, which demands that the bolt seals have a minimum diameter of 18mm.

OOCL said it has been issued with a compliance certification pertaining to this requirement, namely the "Mega Container Seal Certificate: UnoLock3.0 Certificate".

An earlier statement from the company said that the new ISO standard makes two additional demands for mechanical seals, which are as follows, testing each mechanical seal's ability to indicate evidence of tampering must conform to the new standard, and the new minimum diameter.

"Customers who will be responsible for supplying and affixing high security seals on their containers are also reminded to ensure full compliance to the new ISO requirements," OOCL said in the earlier statement.