Patent ID: 8126811

Claim:
A method for documenting a transfer of authority of control for a container from a first entity of a transportation chain to a second entity of the transportation chain, the method comprising: receiving through an interface of an electronic seal associated with the container an electronic container control certificate associated with the first entity, the electronic seal including a log that records data and a control unit that verifies data received through the interface, the electronic container control certificate comprises a cryptographic key associated to the second entity and identification data for the container, and which container control certificate is digitally signed by the first entity; receiving in the electronic seal associated with the container, geographic location data from a location recording device associated with one of the first and second entities; storing the container control certificate in the log of the electronic seal; and verifying the signed container control certificate by a corresponding function implemented in the electronic seal, wherein the container control certificate is stored in the log if the verification succeeds and if the verification fails, the container control certificate is not stored in the log.