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EDIFACT message guide · Transport

VESDEP Vessel departure

The UN/EDIFACT message that informs a liner agent or port authority of a vessel's departure and the actual container or cargo operations.

Sent by
Stevedore or liner agent
Received by
Liner agent or local authority such as the port authority
Standard
UN/EDIFACT · Batch message
X12 equivalent
No direct equivalent

What is the EDIFACT VESDEP message?

VESDEP is the UN/EDIFACT vessel departure message. The directory defines it as a message from a stevedore to a liner agent, or from a liner agent to a local authority such as a port authority, informing it of a vessel's departure and giving information on the actual container or cargo operations. It is part of the family of container messages.

The departure report closes the port call: it confirms when the vessel left and how many containers or how much cargo was handled, which feeds port dues, statistics and the carrier's voyage records.

How the EDIFACT VESDEP message worksDiagram of the UN/EDIFACT VESDEP Vessel departure message. Stevedore or liner agent sends it to liner agent or local authority such as the port authority. It usually follows BERMAN. 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 SG2 loop with NAD (Name and address) and the required SG4 loop with TDT (Transport information). 4 conditional segment groups are listed by their trigger segment.How the EDIFACT VESDEP message worksVessel departure: who sends it, where it fits and what the directory marks mandatory1 WHERE IT FITSUSUALLY FOLLOWSBERMANBerth managementVESDEPSENDERStevedore or lineragentRECEIVERLiner agent or localauthority such as theport authorityCONTRL syntax report back, if agreedUSUALLY FOLLOWED BYNo business reply expected2 WHAT DIRECTORY D.21A REQUIRESInterchange: sender and recipient IDsUNB … UNZMessage VESDEPUNH … UNTSTART OF MESSAGEBGMBeginning of messageBODY AND SEGMENT GROUPSMandatory group SG2 · repeats up to 9NADName and addressMandatory group SG4 · repeats up to 1TDTTransport information+ 4 conditional groups, starting with:RFFCTALOCQTYBlue 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 VESDEP. Your trading partner's implementation guide adds itsown requirements.
How the EDIFACT VESDEP message worksDiagram of the UN/EDIFACT VESDEP Vessel departure message. Stevedore or liner agent sends it to liner agent or local authority such as the port authority. It usually follows BERMAN. 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 SG2 loop with NAD (Name and address) and the required SG4 loop with TDT (Transport information). 4 conditional segment groups are listed by their trigger segment.How the EDIFACT VESDEPmessage worksVessel departure: who sends it, where it fitsand what the directory marks mandatory1 WHERE IT FITSUSUALLY FOLLOWSBERMANBerth managementVESDEPSENDERStevedore orliner agentRECEIVERLiner agent orlocal authoritysuch as the portauthorityCONTRL syntax report back, if agreedUSUALLY FOLLOWED BYNo business reply expected2 WHAT DIRECTORY D.21A REQUIRESInterchange: sender and recipient IDs(UNB … UNZ)Message VESDEP (UNH … UNT)START OF MESSAGEBGMBeginning of messageBODY AND SEGMENT GROUPSMandatory group SG2 · repeats upto 9NADName and addressMandatory group SG4 · repeats upto 1TDTTransport information+ 4 conditional groups, starting with:RFFCTALOCQTYBlue 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 VESDEP.Your trading partner's implementation guide adds itsown requirements.

How to read this diagram: the top row shows who sends VESDEP, 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 VESDEP 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

  • Reporting a vessel's actual departure
  • Summarizing containers loaded and discharged
  • Supporting port dues and statistics

Where it fits in the message flow

Usually follows BERMAN Berth management
This message VESDEP Vessel departure

Structure

Mandatory segments in VESDEP (directory D.21A)

In UN/EDIFACT directory D.21A, the VESDEP message has 18 segment positions arranged in 6 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
  • SG2 (NAD)
  • SG4 (TDT)
  • UNT

Practical example

VESDEP in practice

After a vessel completes operations in Le Havre, the stevedoring company sends the liner agent a VESDEP with the actual departure time and the totals of containers discharged and loaded by size and status. The agent forwards a departure report to the port authority, which calculates port dues for the call.

Implementation

Implementation considerations for VESDEP

  • Report actual departure times, not planned ones.
  • Reconcile container totals with COARRI reports.
  • Meet the port authority's reporting deadline.
  • Use the vessel call reference the port assigned.

How ECOM helps

Automate VESDEP 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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