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Appendix D. Standard Classification of Transported Goods Code Information

Monday, July 13, 2015

The commodities shown in this report are classified using the Standard Classification of Transported Goods (SCTG) coding system. The SCTG coding system was created jointly by U.S. agencies and Canadian governments based on the Harmonized System of product classification that is used worldwide. The purpose of the SCTG coding system was to specifically address statistical needs in regard to products transported.

In 2012, the Commodity Flow Survey provided respondents with a listing of SCTG codes and descriptions at the five-digit level to use in assigning a commodity code for each shipment. For shipments of more than one commodity, respondents were instructed to use the five-digit code for the major commodity, defined as the commodity of greatest total weight in the shipment. For the data presented on this report, the SCTG codes were aggregated to the two-digit level.

SCTG Type of Change Description
07-R Definition Prior to the 2012 CFS, fats and oils were all classified under Commodity Code 07. For the 2012 CFS, fats and oils treated for use as biodiesel moved to Commodity Code 18 under Fuel Oils.
074-R Definition Prior to the 2012 CFS, fats and oils intended for use as biodiesel were not specifically identified, but were included in Commodity Code 074. In the 2012 CFS, fats and oils intended for use as biodiesel were specified and classified under Commodity Code 182 (biodiesel and blends of biodiesel).
0743-R Definition Prior to the 2012 CFS, fats and oils intended for use as biodiesel were not specifically identified, but were included in Commodity Code 0743. In the 2012 CFS, fats and oils intended for use as biodiesel were specified and classified under Commodity Code 182 (biodiesel and blends of biodiesel).
08-R Definition Prior to the 2012 CFS, alcohols intended for use as fuel were not specifically identified and were included under SCTG 08. In the 2012 CFS, ethanol for fuel moved to SCTG 17. Additionally, beverages and denatured alcohol were more clearly identified.
083-R Definition Prior to the 2012 CFS, denatured alcohol of more than 80 percent alcohol by volume was included in Commodity Code 083. In the 2012 CFS, denatured alcohol of more than 80 percent alcohol by volume was moved to Commodity Code 084, and ethanol for use as biofuel was moved to Commodity Codes 175 and 176.
0831-R Definition Prior to the 2012 CFS, both denatured ethyl alcohol and undenatured ethyl alcohol of more than 80 percent alcohol by volume were included in Commodity Code 0831. In the 2012 CFS, denatured alcohol of more than 80 percent by volume was moved to Commodity Code 0841, and ethanol for use as biofuel was specified and moved to Commodity Codes 175 and 176.
084 New Denatured ethyl alcohol, not for ingestion or use as biofuel.
17-R Definition Prior to 2012 CFS, denatured ethyl alcohol and undenatured ethyl alcohol were all classified under SCTG 08. For the 2012 CFS, ethanol that is used for fuel was identified and removed from SCTG 08 to SCTG 17 under fuel alcohols. Also, kerosene, which prior to the 2012 CFS was included in Commodity Code 19, was moved under Commodity Code 17.
171-R Definition Prior to the 2012 CFS, Commodity Code 171 only included gasoline, and blends of gasoline and ethanol were not identified. In the 2012 CFS, Commodity Code 171 includes gasoline and mixtures of up to 10 percent ethanol and gasoline.
172-R Definition Prior to the 2012 CFS, kerosene was included in Commodity Code 192, and type A jet fuel was classified under Commodity Code 172. In the 2012 CFS, all kerosene is classified under Commodity Code 172.
1720-R Definition Prior to the 2012 CFS, kerosene was included in Commodity Code 192, and type A jet fuel was classified under Commodity Code 1720. In the 2012 CFS, all kerosene is classified under Commodity Code 1720.
175 New Ethanol, ethanol blends of more than 10 percent ethanol, and other fuel alcohols.
176 New Ethanol, for use as biofuels.
18-R Definition Prior to the 2012 CFS, fats and oils intended for use as fuel were not identified as such and were included in Commodity Code 07. In the 2012 CFS, such fats and oils were identified as biodiesel and were moved under Commodity Code 18.
181 New Fuel oils including diesel, distillate heating oil, and Bunker C (excludes biodiesel).
182 New Blends of fuel oils including 5 percent or less biodiesel by volume (b5 or less).
1821 New Blends of fuel oils with more than 5 percent biodiesel by volume, except b100.
1822 New Biodiesel derived from vegetable oils or animal fats, b100 (excludes mixtures of biodiesel and diesel fuel).