For the purpose of this part:

(a) Certifying Authority. “Certifying Authority” means a nonprofit firm or association, incorporated or established in the U.S., which the Commissioner finds competent to carry out the functions of this part and which he designates to certify containers and road vehicles for international transport under Customs seal.

(b) Commissioner. “Commissioner” means the Commissioner of Customs.

(c) Container. “Container” means an article of transport equipment (lift van, portable tank, or other similar structure).

(1) Fully or partially enclosed to constitute a compartment intended for containing goods;

(2) Of a permanent character and strong enough to be suitable for repeated use;

(3) Specifically designed to facilitate the carriage of goods by one or more modes of transport, without intermediate reloading;

(4) Designed for ready handling, particularly its transfer from one mode of transport to another;

(5) Designed to be easily filled and emptied; and

(6) Having an internal volume of 1 cubic meter (35.3 cubic feet) or more.

(d) Manufacturer. “Manufacturer” means an organization or person constructing containers or road vehicles for certification in accordance with this chapter.

(e) Prototype. “Prototype” means a sample unit of a series of identical containers or road vehicles all built, so far as practical, under the same conditions.

(f) Road vehicle. “Road Vehicle”, as defined in Chapter 1, Article 1 of the Customs Convention on the International Transport of Goods Under Cover of TIR Carnets (TIR Convention), November 14, 1975 (TIAS), means not only any power-driven road vehicle but also any trailer or semi-trailer designed to be coupled to it.

(g) Customs and TIR/Container Plan. “Customs and TIR/Container Plan” means the designer's drawing of a vehicle (for TIR purposes) or container (for TIR and Container Convention purposes) that illustrates each requirement in § 115.30, § 115.40, § 115.51, or § 15.65, as appropriate to this part.

(h) The definitions in the subject Conventions shall be considered applicable to terms not specifically defined above.