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EDIFACT message guide · Transport

IFTMAN Arrival notice

The UN/EDIFACT message a carrier or forwarder sends to give notice and details of a consignment's arrival.

Sent by
Carrier or forwarder providing the service
Received by
Consignee, notify party or agent named in the contract
Standard
UN/EDIFACT · Batch message
X12 equivalent
312 Arrival Notice (Ocean)

What is the EDIFACT IFTMAN message?

IFTMAN is the UN/EDIFACT arrival notice message. The directory defines it as a message from the party providing forwarding or transport services to the party indicated in the contract, giving notice and details of the arrival of the consignment.

The arrival notice tells the consignee when and where goods will arrive, which documents and charges are outstanding and how to arrange collection or onward delivery. Consignees and customs brokers use it to prepare clearance and to plan pickup before free time runs out.

How the EDIFACT IFTMAN message worksDiagram of the UN/EDIFACT IFTMAN Arrival notice message. Carrier or forwarder providing the service sends it to consignee, notify party or agent named in the contract. It usually follows IFTMIN. It is usually followed by COREOR. Inside the UNB and UNH envelopes, the directory D.21A requires, in the start of message: BGM (Beginning of message). 10 conditional segment groups are listed by their trigger segment.How the EDIFACT IFTMAN message worksArrival notice: who sends it, where it fits and what the directory marks mandatory1 WHERE IT FITSUSUALLY FOLLOWSIFTMINInstructionIFTMANSENDERCarrier or forwarderproviding the serviceRECEIVERConsignee, notify partyor agent named in thecontractCONTRL syntax report back, if agreedUSUALLY FOLLOWED BYCOREORContainer release order2 WHAT DIRECTORY D.21A REQUIRESInterchange: sender and recipient IDsUNB … UNZMessage IFTMANUNH … UNTSTART OF MESSAGEBGMBeginning of messageBODY AND SEGMENT GROUPS+ 10 conditional groups, starting with:LOCTODRFFGORCPITCCTDTNADGIDEQDBlue 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 IFTMAN. Your trading partner's implementation guide adds itsown requirements.
How the EDIFACT IFTMAN message worksDiagram of the UN/EDIFACT IFTMAN Arrival notice message. Carrier or forwarder providing the service sends it to consignee, notify party or agent named in the contract. It usually follows IFTMIN. It is usually followed by COREOR. Inside the UNB and UNH envelopes, the directory D.21A requires, in the start of message: BGM (Beginning of message). 10 conditional segment groups are listed by their trigger segment.How the EDIFACT IFTMANmessage worksArrival notice: who sends it, where it fits andwhat the directory marks mandatory1 WHERE IT FITSUSUALLY FOLLOWSIFTMINInstructionIFTMANSENDERCarrier orforwarderproviding theserviceRECEIVERConsignee,notify party oragent named inthe contractCONTRL syntax report back, if agreedUSUALLY FOLLOWED BYCOREORContainer release order2 WHAT DIRECTORY D.21A REQUIRESInterchange: sender and recipient IDs(UNB … UNZ)Message IFTMAN (UNH … UNT)START OF MESSAGEBGMBeginning of messageBODY AND SEGMENT GROUPS+ 10 conditional groups, starting with:LOCTODRFFGORCPITCCTDTNADGIDEQDBlue 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 IFTMAN.Your trading partner's implementation guide adds itsown requirements.

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

  • Notifying a consignee of an arriving shipment
  • Advising charges payable before release
  • Giving brokers data to prepare customs clearance

Where it fits in the message flow

Usually follows IFTMIN Instruction
This message IFTMAN Arrival notice
Usually followed by COREOR Container release order

Structure

Mandatory segments in IFTMAN (directory D.21A)

In UN/EDIFACT directory D.21A, the IFTMAN message has 150 segment positions arranged in 41 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
  • UNT

Practical example

IFTMAN in practice

A carrier's vessel will reach Felixstowe in four days with containers for a UK furniture retailer. The carrier sends the retailer and its broker an IFTMAN with the bill of lading, containers, estimated arrival, discharge terminal and freight charges collect. The broker prepares the import declaration, and the retailer pays the charges so the carrier can issue the release.

Implementation

Implementation considerations for IFTMAN

  • Send arrival notices to brokers as well as consignees.
  • Update arrival times when the vessel's schedule changes.
  • List charges clearly, since unpaid charges delay release.
  • Use bill of lading and container references consistent with earlier messages.

How ECOM helps

Automate IFTMAN with ECOM

Industry

Trucking and Transportation

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

Industry

Retail

Retail and eCommerce EDI for suppliers and retailers, from purchase order to payment, with compliance built in.

Solution

Supply Chain Visibility

Track orders, shipments and invoices across partners and catch exceptions early.

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

Related messages

Related transport messages

All 36 transport messages

Need help with IFTMAN?

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