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EDIFACT message guide · Transport

CALINF Vessel call information

The UN/EDIFACT message a liner agent sends a stevedore with the expected arrival of a vessel and the expected cargo operations.

Sent by
Liner agent
Received by
Stevedore or terminal operator
Standard
UN/EDIFACT · Batch message
X12 equivalent
No direct equivalent

What is the EDIFACT CALINF message?

CALINF is the UN/EDIFACT vessel call information message. The directory defines it as a notice from a liner agent to a stevedore providing information about the expected arrival of a vessel and the expected cargo operations. It is part of the family of container-related messages for intermodal handling.

The call information lets the terminal plan berth time, cranes and labor: it states the vessel, voyage, expected arrival and departure, and the expected numbers of containers to discharge and load. Detailed lists follow in COPRAR messages.

How the EDIFACT CALINF message worksDiagram of the UN/EDIFACT CALINF Vessel call information message. Liner agent sends it to stevedore or terminal operator. It usually follows BERMAN. It is usually followed by COPRAR. Inside the UNB and UNH envelopes, the directory D.21A requires, in the start of message: BGM (Beginning of message) and body and segment groups: the required SG3 loop with NAD (Name and address) and the required SG5 loop with TDT (Transport information) and the required SG6 loop with LOC (Place/location identification). 4 conditional segment groups are listed by their trigger segment.How the EDIFACT CALINF message worksVessel call information: who sends it, where it fits and what the directory marks mandatory1 WHERE IT FITSUSUALLY FOLLOWSBERMANBerth managementCALINFSENDERLiner agentRECEIVERStevedore or terminaloperatorCONTRL syntax report back, if agreedUSUALLY FOLLOWED BYCOPRARContainerdischarge/loadingorder2 WHAT DIRECTORY D.21A REQUIRESInterchange: sender and recipient IDsUNB … UNZMessage CALINFUNH … UNTSTART OF MESSAGEBGMBeginning of messageBODY AND SEGMENT GROUPSMandatory group SG3 · repeats up to 9NADName and addressMandatory group SG5 · repeats up to 1TDTTransport informationMandatory group SG6 · repeats up to 9LOCPlace/location identification+ 4 conditional groups, starting with:FTXRFFCTAQTYBlue box: mandatory segment group. Conditional groups are listed by the trigger segment that starts them; a group is sent only when its data applies.Conditional segments outside groups are not drawn.Structure: mandatory segments and groups in the UN/EDIFACT directory D.21A listing for CALINF. Your trading partner's implementation guide adds itsown requirements.
How the EDIFACT CALINF message worksDiagram of the UN/EDIFACT CALINF Vessel call information message. Liner agent sends it to stevedore or terminal operator. It usually follows BERMAN. It is usually followed by COPRAR. Inside the UNB and UNH envelopes, the directory D.21A requires, in the start of message: BGM (Beginning of message) and body and segment groups: the required SG3 loop with NAD (Name and address) and the required SG5 loop with TDT (Transport information) and the required SG6 loop with LOC (Place/location identification). 4 conditional segment groups are listed by their trigger segment.How the EDIFACT CALINFmessage worksVessel call information: who sends it, where itfits and what the directory marks mandatory1 WHERE IT FITSUSUALLY FOLLOWSBERMANBerth managementCALINFSENDERLiner agentRECEIVERStevedore orterminaloperatorCONTRL syntax report back, if agreedUSUALLY FOLLOWED BYCOPRARContainer discharge/loading order2 WHAT DIRECTORY D.21A REQUIRESInterchange: sender and recipient IDs(UNB … UNZ)Message CALINF (UNH … UNT)START OF MESSAGEBGMBeginning of messageBODY AND SEGMENT GROUPSMandatory group SG3 · repeats upto 9NADName and addressMandatory group SG5 · repeats upto 1TDTTransport informationMandatory group SG6 · repeatsup to 9LOCPlace/locationidentification+ 4 conditional groups, starting with:FTXRFFCTAQTYBlue box: mandatory segment group. Conditionalgroups are listed by the trigger segment thatstarts them; a group is sent only when its dataapplies. Conditional segments outside groups arenot drawn.Structure: mandatory segments and groups in theUN/EDIFACT directory D.21A listing for CALINF.Your trading partner's implementation guide adds itsown requirements.

How to read this diagram: the top row shows who sends CALINF, to whom, and which messages usually come before and after it. The lower part shows what the directory D.21A itself requires: the envelopes around CALINF and the segments and segment groups it marks mandatory. Conditional groups are listed by their trigger segment rather than drawn in full. This is the directory's minimum, not a trading partner's requirement: a message implementation guide, such as an industry subset or a partner’s own guide, usually makes some conditional groups mandatory, restricts the codes and may use an older directory.

Expand diagram Download SVG

When it is used

  • Announcing a vessel call to a terminal
  • Giving expected discharge and load volumes
  • Updating expected arrival times

Where it fits in the message flow

Usually follows BERMAN Berth management
This message CALINF Vessel call information
Usually followed by COPRAR Container discharge/loading order

Structure

Mandatory segments in CALINF (directory D.21A)

In UN/EDIFACT directory D.21A, the CALINF message has 21 segment positions arranged in 7 segment groups. These are the segments and segment groups marked mandatory at message level, in order; a mandatory group is shown with the segment that starts it. Segments inside conditional groups are needed only when the group is used. This is the directory’s requirement, not your trading partner’s: each partner’s message implementation guide names the directory it uses, often an older one such as D.96A or D.01B where the structure can differ, makes some conditional segments mandatory and restricts the codes.

  • UNH
  • BGM
  • SG3 (NAD)
  • SG5 (TDT)
  • UNT

Practical example

CALINF in practice

A liner agent sends the terminal a CALINF a week before a vessel's call with the expected arrival, the planned departure and the expected 650 discharge and 700 load moves. The terminal reserves the berth and gangs, and later receives detailed discharge and loading lists in COPRAR messages.

Implementation

Implementation considerations for CALINF

  • Send call information early enough for resource planning.
  • Update arrival times and volumes as they change.
  • Keep the vessel call reference consistent with later messages.
  • Follow the terminal's or port community's specification.

How ECOM helps

Automate CALINF with ECOM

Industry

Trucking and Transportation

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

Solution

Logistics Automation

Automate tenders, status updates, freight invoices and warehouse orders with logistics partners.

Solution

EDI Integration

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

Compare X12 and EDIFACT, or see answers to general questions in the EDI FAQ.

Related messages

Related transport messages

All 36 transport messages

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