Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) is used to transfer electronic documents from one computer system to another without human intervention. It becomes a vital and indispensable part of today's commerce. The transfer of structured data from one trading partner to another trading partner creates a new challenge between the partners because each organization has its own set of terminologies, abbreviations, rules, and standards that best suit for itself. An intermediate media is thus developed to foster the smooth and errorless translations. It is UN/EDIFACT or ANSI ASC X12. The latter is predominantly used in North America. Organizations may also use a structured text file, XML file, or CSV file to exchange data among themselves.

Here is a list of considerations when an electronic business document is transmitted from one company's business application to another's in a standard and predefined format.

        •    EDI Standard — EDIFACT, X12, Flatfile, XML or CSV format
        •    Translation Software — mapping data to and from EDIFACT or X12
        •    Value Added Network Provider — 3rd party v.s. a FTP link
        •    Contents of the Interchange Envelop — ISA, GS, ST and SE Segments
        •    Data Security — User Authentication, data encryption and firewall


The Baplie File is just one of the many electronic business documents among the trading partners in the maritime industry. Prior to the vessel arrival, Terminal Operator requires the inbound stowage plan from the steamship line. Ship Officer requires the prestowage plan from Terminal Operator before the stevedore operation begins. After the ship finishes loading her cargo, Ship Officer again requires the final stowage plan with all pertinent information of cargoes being loaded. With an increasing size of the ship's carrying capacity, it would be almost impossible to enter cargo information manually. The EDI becomes the best alternative. Within a few minutes, the entire stowage plan of 14,000 TEUs could be flawlessly transferred from the terminal's computer to the ship's computer.

The Baplie File has adopted the UN/EDIFact (United nations Electronic Data Interchange for Administration, Commerce and Trade). Its data consist of Sender Information, Recipient Information, Time/Date of Preparation, Control Reference, Shipping Line, Baplie Version, Call Sign, Vessel Name, Load-Port Name, Disport-Name, Final Destination, Voyage No., Stowage Position, Container Weight, Reefer Temperature, Special Stowage Information, Container No., Equipment Size and Type, Status, Line Operator, Hazmat Information, etc. Click here to download a sample of the baplie file.

The structure and naming conventions of the Baplie format were developed by SMDG. Today, Baplie has different versions, namely 1.5, 2.0 and 2.1. Version 1.5 is formatted based on EDIFact Directory 91.1 released in 1991, whereas Version 2.0 is based on Directory 92.1 released in 1994 and Version 2.1 is based on Directory D95B released in 2001. All versions of the Baplie file have been used today. Most software would be able to convert among the versions. There are other EDI files pertaining to the container discharge/loading and stowage planning being developed and promoted by SMDG. For examples, MOVINS is a stowage instruction message to the container terminal pertaining to what and where to load; COPRAR is a message to order the container terminal that the containers specified have to be discharged from a vessel or have to be loaded into a vessel; COAPRI is a report message by the container terminal that containers have been discharged/loaded from/on a vessel; CODECO is a message by which the container terminal confirms that the containers specified have been delivered or picked up by the inland carriers.