U.S. Army Released Updated Container Tiedown Guidance
The U.S. Army Transportation Engineering Agency published the fourth edition of its intermodal cargo instructions.
Updated on Sept. 22, 2026 in Transportation
The U.S. Army Transportation Engineering Agency released the fourth edition of Modal Instruction 23 to provide standardized field guidance for securing military containers. This update details procedures for ISO containers, flatracks, and internal slingable units across various transport modes.
Why it matters
The new manual aims to enhance warfighter readiness by offering standardized securement procedures for specialized assets that lack sufficient commercial logistics references. By ensuring compliant intermodal movements, the guidance helps maintain the safety and efficiency of military supply chains.
The updated MI-23 document provides securement procedures for individual containers weighing up to 10,000 lbs. It covers specialized assets including BICONs, TRICONs, and internal slingable units.
The players
U.S. Army Transportation Engineering Agency
Located at Scott Air Force Base, this agency develops and publishes technical guidance for the movement of military material.
The details
The publication provides specific instructions for joining BICON and TRICON containers into 20-foot equivalent units and addresses the unique needs of air-transportable internal slingable units. Logistics personnel can obtain digital copies via the agency website or request hard copies through direct email contact.
Timeline
The fourth edition of Modal Instruction 23 was released on September 22, 2026.
Market Landscape
This publication follows the established precedent set by the U.S. Army Transportation Engineering Agency's logistics research initiatives to standardize military transport assets. By filling the gap left by commercial logistics standards, the agency asserts greater control over the reliability of specialized military equipment transport.
Logistics personnel and contractors must now utilize these updated standards to ensure their transport movements remain compliant with current military regulations. Users requiring digital access must ensure they have an active Common Access Card and a DISA account ready.
The takeaway
Standardizing transport procedures is critical for maintaining the operational readiness of specialized military containers during multi-modal movements. Personnel should review the new edition to ensure their packing and securement practices meet the latest safety compliance requirements.
Further reading
Learn more about the latest developments in Transportation as they affect military and civilian logistics.
More information
To manage credentials for agency access, visit the DoD DISA account self-registration portal.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Army.
