304Shipping Instructions (Ocean)
This standard provides the format and establishes the data contents of the Shipment Instructions (Ocean) Transaction Set within the context of an Electronic Data Interchange environment. This transaction set is sent by the shipper to either a forwarder or an ocean carrier, or by a forwarder to an ocean carrier, and provides all the information necessary to prepare and distribute a contract of carriage such as an ocean bill of lading, sea waybill, and other shipping documents.
When sent by the shipper to a forwarder this transaction set serves the same informational purposes as the shipper's letter of instruction.