972-836-7750 Request a demo Talk to an expert
Talk to an expert Request a demo Call sales 972-836-7750

X12 transaction guide · Transportation

EDI 310 Freight Receipt and Invoice (Ocean)

The X12 document ocean carriers send with bill of lading information, serving as a receipt for the shipment and often as the freight invoice.

Sent by
Ocean carrier
Received by
Shipper, forwarder, consignee or other interested party
Standard
ANSI ASC X12

What is an EDI 310?

The EDI 310 Freight Receipt and Invoice (Ocean) is the ANSI X12 transaction set ocean carriers use to provide bill of lading information to interested parties. It can serve as the receipt for the shipment, replace a paper bill of lading where the parties agree one is not needed, let the shipper or forwarder verify the bill of lading before the original is printed, and carry freight charges for invoicing.

Because it mirrors the bill of lading, the 310 is the point at which errors in the shipping instructions become visible. Checking it promptly avoids corrections, delays at destination and disputed charges.

How the EDI 310 worksDiagram of the EDI 310 Freight Receipt and Invoice (Ocean). Ocean carrier sends it to shipper, forwarder, consignee or other interested party. It usually follows 304. It is usually followed by 997 and 820. Inside the ISA, GS and ST envelopes, X12 release 008010 requires, in the heading: B3 (Beginning Segment for Carrier's Invoice), V1 (Vessel Identification), the required N1 loop with N1 (Party Identification) and the required R4 loop with R4 (Port or Terminal), detail: the required LX loop with LX (Transaction Set Line Number) and summary: L3 (Total Weight and Charges). 4 optional loops are listed by their first segment.How the EDI 310 worksFreight Receipt and Invoice (Ocean): who sends it, where it fits and what the standard marks required1 WHERE IT FITSUSUALLY FOLLOWS304Shipping InstructionsEDI 310SENDEROcean carrierRECEIVERShipper, forwarder,consignee or otherinterested party997 or 999 acknowledgment back, if the partners agreeUSUALLY FOLLOWED BY997FunctionalAcknowledgment820PaymentOrder/Remittance Advice2 WHAT X12 RELEASE 008010 REQUIRESInterchange: sender and receiver IDsISA … IEAFunctional group, ID code IOGS … GETransaction set 310ST … SEHEADINGB3Beginning Segment for Carrier'sInvoiceV1Vessel IdentificationRequired loop N1 · repeats up to10N1Party IdentificationRequired loop R4 · repeats up to20R4Port or Terminal+ 1 optional loop, starting with:C8DETAILRequired loop LX · repeats up to999LXTransaction Set LineNumber+ 2 optional loops, starting with:N7L0SUMMARYL3Total Weight and Charges+ 1 optional loop, starting with:L1Blue box: required loop. Optional loops are listed by the segment that starts them; when a loop is used, that first segment is required. Optional segmentsoutside loops are not drawn.Structure: required segments and loops in the X12 008010 listing for the 310. Your trading partner's implementation guide adds its own requirements.
How the EDI 310 worksDiagram of the EDI 310 Freight Receipt and Invoice (Ocean). Ocean carrier sends it to shipper, forwarder, consignee or other interested party. It usually follows 304. It is usually followed by 997 and 820. Inside the ISA, GS and ST envelopes, X12 release 008010 requires, in the heading: B3 (Beginning Segment for Carrier's Invoice), V1 (Vessel Identification), the required N1 loop with N1 (Party Identification) and the required R4 loop with R4 (Port or Terminal), detail: the required LX loop with LX (Transaction Set Line Number) and summary: L3 (Total Weight and Charges). 4 optional loops are listed by their first segment.How the EDI 310 worksFreight Receipt and Invoice (Ocean): who sendsit, where it fits and what the standard marksrequired1 WHERE IT FITSUSUALLY FOLLOWS304Shipping InstructionsEDI 310SENDEROcean carrierRECEIVERShipper,forwarder,consignee orother interestedparty997 or 999 acknowledgment back, if the partnersagreeUSUALLY FOLLOWED BY997Functional Acknowledgment820Payment Order/Remittance Advice2 WHAT X12 RELEASE 008010 REQUIRESInterchange: sender and receiver IDs (ISA… IEA)Functional group, ID code IO (GS … GE)Transaction set 310 (ST … SE)HEADINGB3Beginning Segment forCarrier's InvoiceV1Vessel IdentificationRequired loop N1 · repeats up to10N1Party IdentificationRequired loop R4 · repeats up to20R4Port or Terminal+ 1 optional loop, starting with:C8DETAILRequired loop LX · repeats up to999LXTransaction Set LineNumber+ 2 optional loops, starting with:N7L0SUMMARYL3Total Weight and Charges+ 1 optional loop, starting with:L1Blue box: required loop. Optional loops are listedby the segment that starts them; when a loop isused, that first segment is required. Optionalsegments outside loops are not drawn.Structure: required segments and loops in the X12008010 listing for the 310. Your trading partner'simplementation guide adds its own requirements.

How to read this diagram: the top row shows who sends the 310, to whom, and which documents usually come before and after it. The lower part shows what X12 release 008010 itself requires: the envelopes around the 310 and the segments and loops the standard marks as required, area by area. Optional loops are listed by the segment that starts them rather than drawn in full. This is the standard's minimum, not a trading partner's requirement: each partner's implementation guide usually makes some optional loops mandatory, restricts the codes and may use a different release.

Expand diagram Download SVG

When it is used

  • Verifying draft bills of lading before release
  • Receiving electronic bills of lading or sea waybills
  • Receiving ocean freight charges for payment

Where it fits in the document flow

Usually follows 304 Shipping Instructions
This document 310 Freight Receipt and Invoice (Ocean)
Usually followed by 997 Functional Acknowledgment820 Payment Order/Remittance Advice

Structure

Mandatory segments in the 310 (X12 release 008010)

The segments X12 release 008010 marks as mandatory at their level, in order. Segments inside optional loops are needed only when the loop is used. This is the standard's requirement, not your trading partner's: each partner's implementation guide names the release it uses, adds the optional segments it requires and restricts the values. The requirement status comes from one published X12 reference listing and has not been checked against a second source.

  • ST
  • B3
  • V1
  • N1
  • R4
  • C8
  • LX
  • N7
  • L1
  • H1
  • LH1
  • L0
  • L3
  • SE

Practical example

The 310 in practice

The carrier sends a 310 for the exporter's shipment. The forwarder's system compares it with the 304 instructions and flags a misspelled consignee name. The forwarder requests a correction before the bill of lading is finalized, avoiding a customs hold in Rotterdam. The charges in the 310 are later matched to the freight quote.

Implementation

Implementation considerations for the 310

  • Compare each 310 with the shipping instructions automatically and flag differences.
  • Match freight charges to agreed rates before approving payment.
  • Agree with partners when the electronic record replaces the paper bill of lading.

How ECOM helps

Automate the 310 with ECOM

Industry

Trucking and Transportation

Load tenders, responses, status and freight invoices for carriers, brokers and shippers, integrated with the TMS.

Solution

Financial Document Automation

Automate invoices, remittances, payment files and bank statements from capture to posting.

Solution

EDI Integration

Exchange X12 and EDIFACT documents with partners and integrate them directly with your ERP.

More general questions about EDI are answered in the EDI FAQ.

Related transactions

Related transportation documents

All 80 transportation documents

Need help with the EDI 310?

ECOM maps, tests and monitors X12 documents for your trading partners and integrates them with your ERP.

Request a Demo Contact us