IMO eFAL ExecGuide v2019-GB
IMO eFAL
Executive Guide
Introduction
The International Maritime Organization’s Convention on Facilitation of
International Maritime Traffic, or “FAL Convention” dates to the 1960s. It aims to
facilitate maritime traffic by providing a degree of uniformity in the number and
type of declarations required by public authorities when a maritime vessel enters
a port. The convention limits the number of copies that can be requested and
defines seven standard documents covering ship, cargo, passengers, but also
dangerous goods, postal requirements and health requirements.
The information from these declarations
has been sent electronically for many
years through a combination of United
Nations Electronic Data Interchange for
Administration, Commerce and
Transport (UN/EDIFACT) messages. Since 2016, the IMO has been working to
integrate the notion of an electronic version of these documents into the
convention and propose an electronic model to achieve this. The IMO has worked
with the United Nations Centre for Trade Facilitation and Electronic Business
(UN/CEFACT), the World Customs Organization (WCO) and the International
Standards Organization (ISO) to create a clear, semantic data set to cover the
needs of the FAL Convention, which will soon be added to the convention itself.
Application
The IMO FAL documents are required for
nearly all maritime transport arriving at
port and the electronic equivalent will be
accepted more and more frequently in the
future.
UN/CEFACT has created a mapping of the IMO FAL requirements, compatible
with its Multi-Modal Transport Reference Data Model (MMT-RDM). This mapping
should be integrated into the IMO FAL convention for the future reference of the
user community.
Benefits
UN/CEFACT has been developing
electronic business exchange standards
for over thirty years. Through this rich
experience it has established a
comprehensive semantic library of
business terms used in international
trade, which covers all aspect of the
supply-chain life cycle from materials
management and commercial to
transport/logistics and regulatory
requirements. The MMT-RDM is a logical subset of this library as it strives to cover
all possible requirements in the transport and logistics realm. It is fully integrated
in the current paper-based exchanges but allows for a smooth transition towards
a process-driven (or event-driven) exchange of information.
The UN/CEFACT IMO FAL mappings are available free of charge, as are the other
standards with which it is fully compatible.
More information
Link to project page
https://uncefact.unece.org/display/uncefactpublic/IMO+FAL+electronic
+compendium+mapping
Link to MMT-RDM
https://www.unece.org/uncefact/mainstandards.html#ui-accordion-
jfmulticontent_c66199-panel-0
Link to IMO FAL Convention page:
http://www.imo.org/en/OurWork/Facilitation/ConventionsCodesGuideli
nes/Pages/Default.aspx
UN/CEFACT, the United Nations Centre for Trade Facilitation and Electronic
Business, supports activities dedicated to improving the ability of business, trade
and administrative organizations, from developed, developing and transition
economies, to exchange products and relevant services effectively. Its principal
focus is on facilitating national and international transactions, through the
simplification and harmonization of processes, procedures and information
flows, and so contributing to the growth of global commerce.
UN/CEFACT has a global mandate. Participation in the UN/CEFACT Forum is
open to all. There are 1000 experts from every region in the world.
Within the framework of the United Nations Economic and Social Council, the
United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) serves as the focal
point for trade facilitation recommendations and electronic business standards,
covering both commercial and government business processes that can foster
growth in international trade and related services. In this context UN/CEFACT was
established, as a subsidiary, intergovernmental body of the UNECE.
For more information:
http://www.unece.org/cefact
Participation in the development of UN/CEFACT See also: http://tfig.unece.org/
standards and recommendations is free of
charge. UNECE secretariat:
+41 22 917 1298
If you are interested in joining us, you should Lance Thompson, Secretary UN/CEFACT
register at lance.thompson@un.org
https://uncefact.unece.org/display/uncefactpu
blic/UNCEFACT+Expert+Registration
All resulting deliverables are available online
free of charge at http://www.unece.org/cefact
ECE/TRADE/C/CEFACT/2019/12E
