If you've ever stood next to a shipping container and noticed a four-letter code stenciled near the door — MAEU, MSCU, TRLU — you've seen a BIC code. Ours is OWLU. As of May 19, 2026, it's also a federally registered trademark of One Way Lease, Inc.
For most customers, this is invisible plumbing. But it tells you something real about how serious a container operator is — and what kind of guarantee stands behind the steel.
What is OWLU?
OWLU is our BIC code — the four-letter owner prefix that identifies containers in our fleet, worldwide. Combined with a six-digit serial number and a check digit, it forms the full container number.
That format isn't a marketing convention. It's the global standard defined by ISO 6346, the international rule that governs how every intermodal shipping container on Earth is identified. The BIC code itself is issued by the Bureau International des Containers in Paris, which has maintained the official registry of container owners since 1933.
Put simply: when you see OWLU on the side of a container, that container is part of our fleet — verifiable in a public registry, traceable across every port, terminal, and rail yard in the world.
What does the trademark actually do?
A BIC code identifies us. A trademark protects us — and by extension, you.
For day-to-day operations, nothing changes. Same containers, same delivery, same service. What changes is the strength of the guarantee behind that little four-letter stencil.
Why this matters when you're choosing a container partner
Not every company that sells or leases containers actually operates a fleet. Many are brokers — they source units from larger operators and resell them. There's nothing wrong with that model, but it's a different relationship.
A trademark on top of a BIC code is a further commitment. It says we plan to be here, owning and operating containers under this name, for the long haul. We've been doing this since 1994. The OWLU registration is the latest step in making sure the name stays ours.
