0. INTRODUCTION
1. SCOPE
   1. Functional definition
   2. Field of application
   3. Principles
2. REFERENCES
3. TERMS AND DEFINITIONS
4. MESSAGE DEFINITION
   1. Data segment clarification
   2. Data segment index (alphabetical sequence)
   3. Message structure
      1. Segment table

This specification provides the definition of the Vessel departure message (VESDEP) to be used in Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) between trading partners involved in administration, commerce and transport.

A message from a stevedore to a liner agent informing the latter party of the closing of a vessel's file and giving information on the actual container operations.

This message is part of a total set of container-related messages. These messages serve to facilitate the intermodal handling of containers by streamlining the information exchange. The business scenario for the container messages is clarified in a separate document, called: 'Guide to the scenario of EDIFACT container messages'.

The Vessel departure message may be used for both national and international trade. It is based on universal commercial practice and is not dependent on the type of business or industry.

In the context of the 'Guide to the scenario of EDIFACT container messages' (as referred to at the start of section 1) the following guidelines, rules and functionality apply to this Vessel departure message:

• A message will contain information on only one means of transport/conveyance.
• Separate messages (Call info message and Vessel departure message) will be used for the means of transport in order to cater for opening and closing of the information exchange related to that means of transport. Updates for these messages may be sent.
• The message contents can be uniquely identified by a combination of the following data elements:

• ordering customer/principal
• ordering customer agent
• mode of transport
• conveyance reference number/voyage number

The ordering customer agent is to supplement the unique identification only when several agents are acting on behalf of the same shipping line for the same voyage number.

See UNTDID, Part 4, Chapter 2.6 UN/ECE UNSM - General Introduction, Section 1.

See UNTDID, Part 4, Chapter 2.6 UN/ECE UNSM - General Introduction, Section 2.

This section should be read in conjunction with the Branching Diagram and the Segment Table which indicate mandatory, conditional and repeating requirements.

0010 | UNH, Message header

A service segment starting and uniquely identifying a message. The message type code for the Vessel departure message is VESDEP.

Note: Vessel departure messages conforming to this document must contain the following data in segment UNH, composite S009:

0020 BGM, Beginning of message

A segment to indicate the beginning of a message and to transmit identifying number.

0030 RFF, Reference

A segment to provide a reference relating to the whole message, such as: - reference to previous message

0040 Segment Group 1: NAD-CTA

A group of segments to identify a party and related contacts.

0050 NAD, Name and address

A segment to identify a name and address of a party, such as: - message sender - message recipient - ordering customer/principal - ordering customer agent

0060 CTA, Contact information

A segment to identify a person or department for the party, such as: - information contact

0070 Segment Group 2: TDT-RFF-DTM

A group of segments to specify details of the departing means of transport.

0080 TDT, Details of transport

A segment to identify the transport details of the departing vessel.

0090 RFF, Reference

A segment to identify a relevant reference number, such as: - voyage number

0100 DTM, Date/time/period

A segment to identify a date and time related to the departure of the means of transport, such as: - actual sailing date/time

0110 Segment Group 3: QTY-FTX

A group of segments to specify total numbers.

0120 QTY, Quantity

A segment to specify the actual number of segments in the message and the control reference number of the message.

0130 FTX, Free text

A segment to provide supplementary information related to the actual number of operations on equipment.

0140 UNT, Message trailer

A service segment ending a message, giving the total number of segments in the message and the control reference number of the message.