Date: 201509
Local time of day: 1201-1800
Location: ZZZ.Airport, US
Flight conditions: VMC
Aircraft: MD-11
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Flight plan: IFR
Mission: Cargo / Freight / Delivery
Flight phase: Parked
ATC / advisory: Ramp ZZZ
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: Captain; Pilot Flying
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Human factors: Confusion; Communication Breakdown; Time Pressure
Second reporter function: Pilot Not Flying; First Officer
Anomaly: Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Weight And Balance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural MEL / CDL; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Maintenance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Detector: Person Dispatch
When detected: In-flight
Result: General None Reported / Taken
Contributing factors: Procedure; Logbook Entry; MEL; Company Policy; Equipment / Tooling
Primary problem: MEL

Narrative: Cleared to push; no push crew; so I called ramp. Maintenance gets on freq and says they are working an MEL. First I hear about it. Very long wait; finally they say we will bring the stairs back. They say over radio it is a cargo lock issue in the belly and give an MEL reference. We ask ramp to coordinate with dispatch. I looked up the MEL and when the mechanic came up with the new logbook; I asked if she had confirmed with ramp that the positions were empty as required by the MEL; she said yes. After we are airborne; dispatch sent us an ACARS to the effect that the positions voided and those listed on the paperwork may not match up; and destination ramp will have to investigate.


Second narrative: At scheduled block out time with all doors closed and push approved and before start checklist complete asked ramp where maintenance/push crew was and was informed by Maintenance that they were still working a new MEL. This was a total surprise to the entire cockpit crew. Queried Maintenance several times as to what the issue was or what the MEL would be and was told to standby. Approximately 30 minutes later received an ACARS message from dispatch for MEL 25 Cargo restraint system-Lower Fwd compartment Locks/Guide restraints partial load restraint forward of F6R and F6L missing. Positions F6R and F6L remain void for container configuration.Approximately 15 minutes later a Maintenance rep entered cockpit with a new logbook and stated that positions F6R andF6L were to be voided and MEL 25 was added. We asked maintenance rep if she had verified with the loading crew that positions F6R and F6L had been voided during the load and she stated she had done that. Captain opened MEL and we read MEL 25.Another before start checklist was accomplished and we departed. About 1 hour from top of descent we were notified via ACARS that the MEL 25 could be incorrect and that destination ramp had been notified and would investigate upon our arrival.The 3 of us spent the next 30 minutes trying to reconstruct and decipher the meaning of the ACARS message stating 'MEL 25 could be incorrect'.... The first ACARS message Voided positions F6R and F6L but the MEL in the logbook voided F5R and F5L.Maintenance investigated on block in and determined that the positions with the missing locks were F6R and F6L and that F6R and F6L were empty.


Synopsis: MD-11 crew and Dispatcher reported that incorrect information in an MEL created confusion and mistakes on the release and weight and balance.