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EDIFACT message guide · Transport

MEQPOS Means of transport and equipment position

The UN/EDIFACT message that reports the position of a means of transport, such as a vessel or truck, or of related equipment.

Sent by
Carrier, vessel, truck or tracking provider
Received by
Shipper, forwarder, carrier or planner
Standard
UN/EDIFACT · Batch message
X12 equivalent
No direct equivalent

What is the EDIFACT MEQPOS message?

MEQPOS is the UN/EDIFACT means of transport and equipment position message. The directory defines it as a message containing the position of a means of transport, such as a vessel or truck, or of equipment related to a means of transport.

Position reports feed tracking and arrival estimates. Where status messages report business events such as departure or delivery, a position report gives the location of the vehicle or container at a moment, which can be used to calculate expected arrival or to monitor routes.

How the EDIFACT MEQPOS message worksDiagram of the UN/EDIFACT MEQPOS Means of transport and equipment position message. Carrier, vessel, truck or tracking provider sends it to shipper, forwarder, carrier or planner. It usually starts the exchange. Inside the UNB and UNH envelopes, the directory D.21A requires, in the start of message: BGM (Beginning of message) and LOC (Place/location identification) and body and segment groups: the required SG2 loop with TDT (Transport information). 4 conditional segment groups are listed by their trigger segment.How the EDIFACT MEQPOS message worksMeans of transport and equipment position: who sends it, where it fits and what the directory marks mandatory1 WHERE IT FITSUSUALLY FOLLOWSStarts the exchangeMEQPOSSENDERCarrier, vessel, truckor tracking providerRECEIVERShipper, forwarder,carrier or plannerCONTRL syntax report back, if agreedUSUALLY FOLLOWED BYNo business reply expected2 WHAT DIRECTORY D.21A REQUIRESInterchange: sender and recipient IDsUNB … UNZMessage MEQPOSUNH … UNTSTART OF MESSAGEBGMBeginning of messageLOCPlace/location identificationBODY AND SEGMENT GROUPSMandatory group SG2 · repeats up to 1TDTTransport information+ 4 conditional groups, starting with:RFFLOCNADEQDBlue 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 MEQPOS. Your trading partner's implementation guide adds itsown requirements.
How the EDIFACT MEQPOS message worksDiagram of the UN/EDIFACT MEQPOS Means of transport and equipment position message. Carrier, vessel, truck or tracking provider sends it to shipper, forwarder, carrier or planner. It usually starts the exchange. Inside the UNB and UNH envelopes, the directory D.21A requires, in the start of message: BGM (Beginning of message) and LOC (Place/location identification) and body and segment groups: the required SG2 loop with TDT (Transport information). 4 conditional segment groups are listed by their trigger segment.How the EDIFACT MEQPOSmessage worksMeans of transport and equipment position: whosends it, where it fits and what the directorymarks mandatory1 WHERE IT FITSUSUALLY FOLLOWSStarts the exchangeMEQPOSSENDERCarrier, vessel,truck or trackingproviderRECEIVERShipper,forwarder,carrier orplannerCONTRL syntax report back, if agreedUSUALLY FOLLOWED BYNo business reply expected2 WHAT DIRECTORY D.21A REQUIRESInterchange: sender and recipient IDs(UNB … UNZ)Message MEQPOS (UNH … UNT)START OF MESSAGEBGMBeginning of messageLOCPlace/location identificationBODY AND SEGMENT GROUPSMandatory group SG2 · repeats upto 1TDTTransport information+ 4 conditional groups, starting with:RFFLOCNADEQDBlue 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 MEQPOS.Your trading partner's implementation guide adds itsown requirements.

How to read this diagram: the top row shows who sends MEQPOS, 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 MEQPOS 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 vessel or truck positions for tracking
  • Reporting the location of containers or trailers
  • Supporting arrival time estimates

Where it fits in the message flow

This message MEQPOS Means of transport and equipment position

No other message routinely comes directly before or after MEQPOS; it is exchanged when the business event occurs. If the partners agree, the receiver confirms each interchange with a CONTRL syntax and service report.

Structure

Mandatory segments in MEQPOS (directory D.21A)

In UN/EDIFACT directory D.21A, the MEQPOS 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
  • LOC
  • SG2 (TDT)
  • UNT

Practical example

MEQPOS in practice

A road carrier's telematics platform sends a shipper a MEQPOS every hour for each truck carrying its goods, with the coordinates, time and vehicle identity. The shipper's visibility tool updates estimated arrival times and alerts the customer when a truck falls behind schedule.

Implementation

Implementation considerations for MEQPOS

  • Agree the reporting frequency and precision.
  • Use consistent identifiers for vehicles and equipment.
  • Combine positions with status events for a complete picture.
  • Respect data protection rules for driver-related location data.

How ECOM helps

Automate MEQPOS with ECOM

Solution

Supply Chain Visibility

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

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.

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 MEQPOS?

ECOM maps, tests and monitors EDIFACT messages for your trading partners and integrates them with your ERP.

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