Na tiona l Ship p e r

Ad visory Com m itte e

Digital Container Shipping Association

November 2023
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Digital Container Shipping Association - Introduction

About DCSA

 Global, non-profit association 

 Covering >70% of global container transport

 DCSA’s mission is to shape the digital future of 

container shipping

 Technology agnostic & vendor neutral

 Open for contribution and free for all to use

 Standards are created by collaborating with all 

stakeholders of container shipping and based 

on established international standards

DCSA’s Vision

At DCSA, we envisage a digitally interconnected 

container shipping industry in which the customers of 

ocean carriers have a choice of seamless, easy-to-use 

services to meet their business goals.
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DCSA’s work

• Industry blueprint 

• Information model 

• API design principles

• Reference implementation

• Cyber security guide

• Accompanied by reading guides, 

glossary of terms and FAQs

Foundational standards and 

support documentation

Main standards

All of the standards and supporting material are freely available on our website www.dcsa.org
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DCSA Sta nd a rd s Ove rvie w

Th e in d u s try Blu e p rin t in th e fo u n d a tio n fo r th e c re a tio n o f o u r s ta n d a rd s Ca rgo Mo ve m e n t

Pre - s h ip p in g Lin e r o p e ra tio n Post- s h ip p in g

2. Eq u ip m e n t 

Journe y

Pic k- u p

Re tu rn

Ac ro s s 

jo u rn e ys 3. Ve s s e l J o u rn e y

Arriva l

De p a rtu re

1. Sh ip m e n t 

Journe y

Bo o kin g

Pa ym e nt

Pu b lis h e d 

Sta nd a rd

Pla n n e d 

Sta nd a rd

Qu o te to Bo o k Bo o kin g 

Re q u e s t

Bo o kin g 

Co n firm a tio n

Sh ip p in g 

In s tru c tio n s & 

Dra ft B/ L

Is s u e B/ L Arriva l No tic e Sh ip m e n t 

Re le a s e

Bo o kin g Pro c e s s e BL Arriva l Notic e a n d Sh ip m e n t re le a s e

Un d e r 

Co n s id e ra tio n

Re e fe r 

Mo n ito rin g

Re e fe r 

m a lfu n c tio n 

re p ort

Op e ra tio n a l 

Ve s s e l 

Sc h e d u le s

Lo a d lis t a n d 

b a y p la n s

J u s t in Tim e Po rt 

Ca ll

Co m m e rc ia l 

Sc h e d u le s

Co n s o lid a te d 

Bo o kin g 

Fo re c a s ts

Tra c k & Tra c e Re e fe r e ve n ts Io T e ve n ts
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Ve sse l Sche d ule s
Operational Vessel Schedules Load list and Bay plans Just in Time Port Call

Commercial Schedules Consolidated Booking Forecast

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Transport / Vessel Journey

Commercial Schedules 1.0

Beta version expected to be released in Q4 2023

SCOPE: 

• Point to Point routings – alternative routings to move 

cargo from A to B (pre-booking phase) considering 

ocean and hinterland legs

• Port Schedules – Scheduled vessels to Arrive and 

Depart in a specific port/terminal

• Service/Vessel Schedules – Lightweight OVS

Integration: Carriers-Customers

Future 

Releases

Commercial Schedules 1.0

Beta version expected to be released in Q4 2023

SCOPE: 

• Co n ta in s a ll th e fo re c a s te d lo a d in g s a n d 

discharges per port (full/empty and specials) for the 

entire region and is submitted from the partner to 

the vessel operator to allow port planning and 

capacity management of the vessel while in the 

specific region. Integration: Carriers-Customers

Integration: VSA/SCA Partners

Published 

standards

Operational Vessel Schedules 3.0

Beta published in 2022, final expected Q4 2023. 

SCOPE: 

• Vessel Schedules with operational detail exchange 

amongst Feeders, VSA, SCA, Terminals

Integration: Operational Partners

Load list and Bay plan Definitions

Published in 2020

SCOPE: 

• Standards and timelines for communication of 

container load volumes and stowage details 

between VSA (vessel sharing agreement) partners, 

terminals and ports

Integration: Operational Partners

Just in time Portcalls 1.2: 

Published in 2022, final version expected in 2024

SCOPE: 

• Port call data definitions, interface standards and 

messaging API (application programming interface) 

specifications for 100 event timestamps, which 

address the 6 main parts of a port call

Integration: Carriers-Customers
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Op e ra tiona l Ve sse l Sche d ule s a nd 

Unive rsa l Re fe re nce s

Ops centre

Vessel 

Schedules

DD

Agent

Port/Terminals

Ops centre

Vessel 

Schedules Agent

DD

Exchange of Operational Vessel 

Schedules

VSA partners Operational Services 

providers

Vessel Operators

Format for Universal Service 

Reference – 8 characters

VSA 

Partner

Carrier service code: XYT12345

Universal Service Reference: SR00000X

Carrier Voyage Number: 202302E

Universal Voyage Number: 2302W

Vessel Operator: EMC

Arrival/Departure Data

Other Ops. Data

Carrier service code: RTW892

Universal Service Reference: SR00000X

Carrier Voyage Number: 2023-02-RTM-SIG

Universal Voyage Number: 2302W

Vessel Operator: CMA

Arrival/Departure Data

Other Ops. Data

Vessel

Operator

Format Universal Voyage 

Reference – 5 characters to fit 

US requirements

SR 5 digits

[0...9]

1 check 

character

[A..Z]

Universal references are an agreed coding system for 

operational identifiers on top of current service names & 

codes, and voyage numbers that will allow carriers and 

other stakeholders to reduce errors when referring to services 

and their voyages

Y

Y

SS

[0..9 & 

A..Z]

Bound 

[EWNSR}

Year Sequence Bound

Any party receiving schedules from a VSA partner or Vessel Operator 

will be able to know if they are sharing the same schedules

Note: Q4 2023 ongoing workshops to discuss challenges with carriers 

and feeders, and to define how to move into actual implementation 

in 2024. 
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Schedules Standards Adoption

Status of standards implementation (member carriers) Status of standards implementation (non-member carriers & SP)

OVS

(prerequisite for USR)

USR

(prerequisite for UVR)

3.0 Beta

Ongoing discussions 

to implement in 2024

3.0 Beta

Expected Q4 2023

Expected Q4 2023

Expected Q1 2024

Expected Q1 2024

Expected Q1 2024

Expected Q4 2023

TBD

OVS

(prerequisite for 

USR)

USR

(prerequisite for 

UVR)

Unifeeder 3.0 Beta Ongoing 

discussions to 

Xpress Feeder 3.0 Beta implement in 2024

NAVIS 3.0 Beta

Portbase Q4 expected

HVCC Hamburg Can consume OVS 3.0 and 

testing with MSK, CMA

Hutchison Rotterdam Can consume OVS 3.0 and 

testing with CMA

Gemalink Vietnam Can consume OVS 3.0 and 

testing with CMA

Note: USR and UVR will be added to applicable EDI messages, in agreement with SMDG for the segment code. 
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Cove ra g e of NSAC re com m e nd a tions
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Out of the 39 Minimum required US Cargo Import/ Export Data set, 

the ones below are not part of DCSA Standards. 

Minimum required U.S. Export Cargo Data Set Covered by DCSA 

Standards Remark

Last free port demurrage date N Not in DCSA scope

Last free equipment detention date N Not in DCSA scope

Minimum required U. S. Import Cargo Data Set Covered by DCSA 

Standards Remark

Container last free port demurrage date N Not in DCSA scope

Container last free equipment detention date N Not in DCSA scope

Coverage of DCSA data attributes
Minimum required U.S. 

Export Cargo Data Set

Covered by 

DCSA Standards Remark

Empty pickup container yard location Booking DRL (Depot release location) part of Booking - Shipment location

Empty pickup date Booking ECP (Empty container pick-up date and time) part of Booking - Shipment cut 

off times

Loaded container location and earliest return 

date Booking EFC (Earliest full-container delivery date) part of Booking- shipment cut off 

times, Shipment location

Loaded container ingate return T&T Actual Gate In

Actual origin departure date T&T 

Port of transshipment, when applicable Booking, T&T Part of Booking - Transport plan

Estimated arrival at port of transshipment Booking, T&T Part of Booking - Transport plan

Actual arrival at port of transshipment T&T 

Actual departure from port of transshipment T&T 

Additional unplanned transshipment 

information Booking

Part of Booking – Transport plan, when the unplanned transshipment 

information is known before the cargo is shipped. Transshipment information is 

not included in the eBL

Estimated arrival at port of destination Booking, T&T, OVS, JIT

Actual arrival at port of destination T&T, OVS, JIT

Vessel berthing date at port of destination Booking, T&T, OVS, JIT

Container unloaded at port destination T&T

Container location on terminal T&T Covered by UNLOCODE, SMDG facility code, ISO 8366 and DCSA facility codes 

Container pickup available date T&T

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Coverage of DCSA data attributes

Minimum required US 

Cargo Export Data set, 

DCSA Booking, and 

T&T standards cover 

most of the data 

points 

EXPORT
Minimum required U.S. 

Import Cargo Data Set

Covered by 

DCSA Standards Remark

Loaded container origin terminal ingate date T&T LCO, FCO, EFC part of Booking- shipment cut off dates, location

Estimated origin departure date Booking, T&T

Actual origin departure date T&T

Port of transshipment, when applicable Booking, T&T Part of Booking - Transport plan

Estimated arrival at port of transshipment Booking, T&T Part of Booking - Transport plan

Actual arrival at port of transshipment T&T

Actual departure from port of transshipment T&T

Additional unplanned transshipment information Booking Part of Booking – Transport plan, when the unplanned transshipment information is known 

before the cargo is shipped. Transshipment information is not included in the eBL

Estimated arrival at port of destination Booking, T&T, OVS, JIT

Actual arrival at port of destination T&T, OVS, JIT

Vessel berthing date at port of destination Booking, T&T, OVS, JIT

Container unloaded at port destination Container 

location on terminal T&T Covered by UNLOCODE, SMDG facility code, ISO 8366 and DCSA facility codes 

Container Hold details (when applicable) T&T

Carrier holds T&T

Terminal holds T&T

Customs holds T&T

Container pickup available date T&T

Laden container out gate – include trucker SCAC & 

chassis number T&T Trucker SCAC not incl

Empty ingate return date – include trucker SCAC & 

chassis number T&T Trucker SCAC not incl

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Minimum required US 

Cargo Import Data set, 

DCSA Booking, and 

T&T standards cover 

most of the data 

points 

IMPORT

Coverage of DCSA data attributes
Thank you

For more info and all our publications, please visit 

www.dcsa.org or contact 

dominique.willems@dcsa.org