Centre of gravity (target cross)

The centre of the mark shows where the centre of gravity of the whole load is, so it can be lifted and carried without tipping.

Who puts it on the box

The shipper of heavy or unevenly loaded crates and machinery; ISO 780 says heavy packages shall carry it.

How to read it

Place forks, slings or hands so the centre of gravity sits between them, and keep the heavy side low. The 2015 edition asks for the mark on all six sides where possible and at least on the four sides, placed over the real centre of gravity.

What it does not promise

It does not promise the mark was placed accurately — it is only as good as the packer’s measurement — and it does not state the weight: look for the gross mass stencilled on the crate.

A mark on a parcel is the sender’s statement about what is inside and how it should be handled. It is not a certificate that the parcel is packed safely, that anyone handled it as marked, or that your carrier accepts it: for what you may send, read the carrier’s own terms.

What it looks like: A circle split into quarters, two quarters filled black, with a cross through it and short arrows on the lines: the centre point of the circle marks the spot.
Standard: ISO 780:2015, symbol No. 1 — Centre of gravity (ISO 7000-0627)
ISO 7000 registration: ISO 7000-0627
Kind of mark: A handling symbol from ISO 780, the international standard for handling marks on distribution packages. ISO 780 marks are always black; they say how to handle the package, never that its contents are dangerous.
Also called: CoG mark; Centre of mass; Center of gravity

Other marks with the same shape

Do not roll (crossed rolling arrows)Do not roll or tumble the package end over end to move it.Stacking limit by mass (XX kg on a box)No more than the mass written may be stacked on top of this package.Stacking limit by number (n in a box)Identical packages may be stacked only up to the number written in…Do not stack (crossed box on top)Nothing may be stacked on top of this package.

Sources

Each document was fetched and read on the date shown. Written in our own words; quotations are the documents’ wording.

Standard (preview pages) — ISO (preview pages published by iTeh Standards): ISO 780:2015 Packaging — Distribution packaging — Graphical symbols for handling and storage of packages, 5th edition 2015-12-01 (preview: foreword to Table 1) — Table 1 No. 1 CENTRE OF GRAVITY, ISO 7000 No. 0627: marks the centre of gravity of packages handled as a single unit; heavy packages shall be marked, on all six sides where possible and at least the four lateral sides; Note 1 warns that heavy cargo tipping over can cause a fatal accident. Checked 2026-09-27.
Symbol list — IBJ / bravecroc (graphical-symbol file vendor): ISO 780 EN Symbols (2015-12): the 17 ISO 780:2015 symbols with their numbers and titles — Lists ISO 780 symbol No. 1, “CENTRE OF GRAVITY”, with a reference drawing, in the 2015 numbering. Checked 2026-09-27.