The major part of our bookings are received via EDI and imported directly into the Unifeeder booking system.
At Unifeeder we able to support the booking process with various message formats and functions – e.g. create new bookings, update/amend existing bookings or cancel part of or whole bookings.
However, in order to run secure vessel operations, and supply customs and harbor authorities with correct cargo details, some deadlines for EDI messages have to be fulfilled.
Communication flow
The following diagram is an overview of the booking communication flow. It is a part of the general Customer - Unifeeder workflow depicted on the EDI Possibilities page.
Booking
All EDI booking messages are checked twice before they are imported into the Unifeeder booking system.
Upon receipt a message is checked for structure and mandatory data, according to the format definition. When the message has passed this test, it will be checked for data correctness – i.e. that values are acceptable, can be converted and does not exceed any deadlines. If a message fulfill these tests, it will be processed and imported into the Unifeeder booking system.
In the Unifeeder booking system the EDI bookings are not assigned to a vessel upon receipt. Instead bookings are being sorted by “ready dates” and destinations – i.e. the system will need to know, when the containers will be available for shipment. However, if the feeder schedule is known, we are able to support: planned feeder vessel, ETD and ETA as well.
New bookings can only be accepted, if they are booked for a departure later than message is received - i.e. a booking received today until 23.59 hrs will be accepted, if it is booked for a departure sailing tomorrow or later.
Below details are the mandatory booking data, which must be included in the booking message:
• Port-of-load & discharge
• Pier-of-load & discharge
• Ready-date (date when the containers will be available for shipment)
• Ocean vessel name or call sign
• Ocean vessel voyage number
• Unique reference on booking level
• Unique reference for each container on container level
• Container iso code or type size
• Container empty or full
• Container weight (only for full containers)
• Commodity (only for full containers)
Following booking details are not mandatory, but highly recommended:
• Ocean vessel ETA
• Planed ETD & ETA
• Customs status
• Original-port-of-load or Final-port-of-discharge
• IMO, OOG or Reefer details
Booking update
With the Unifeeder EDI booking system, we are able to accept booking-updates automatically.
Update messages are accepted until the day before the vessel departure - i.e. an update message received today until 23.59 hrs for a booking disposed on a vessel sailing tomorrow or later, will be accepted. Hereafter all updates are done manually by our agents, due to impact risk on vessel operation, stowage etc. Port-of-load or Port-of-discharge can not be changed automatically via EDI – i.e. if the POL or POD in the update message is different from the existing booking in the Unifeeder booking system, the message will be rejected.
Booking cancellation
The Unifeeder EDI bookings system is able to support EDI cancellation of containers. Cancellation messages are accepted until the day before departure - i.e. a cancellation received today until 23.59 hrs for containers disposed on a vessel sailing tomorrow or later, will be accepted. Hereafter cancellations are done manually by our agents.
Booking confirmation
When bookings are accepted and disposed on our vessels booking confirmations can be sent.
Departure/Arrival notice
Unifeeders is able to send its customers a long range of notifications via. EDI. We have experience with e.g. container status report messages and container discharge/loading report messages. Please read the Unifeeder follows the international standards for EDI – exchange page for more details.
Implementation
We trust that our customes, like us, appreciate the benefits of EDI, and would like to improve our business relationship.
For further details and support please contact the Unifeeder IT-department:
Lars Dyrup Jensen (ldj@unifeeder.com)
Jan Bjerg (jtb@unifeeder.com)
Depending on the format and number of adjustments, we expect an implementation time of 2 – 4 weeks per communication process.
