This transaction set communicates the stowage plan for ocean vessel cargo, detailing how containers and equipment are positioned aboard a ship. Ocean carriers or freight forwarders send vessel stow plans to port terminals, vessel operators, and other maritime partners to coordinate the physical loading and securing of cargo. The stow plan is typically transmitted after cargo has been booked and consolidated but before vessel departure. Key segments include the V1 (Vessel Identification) segment, which identifies the specific vessel; the R4 (Port or Terminal) segment, which specifies origin and destination ports; and the N7 (Equipment Details) segment, which describes each container or piece of equipment being stowed, including its size, type, and position on the vessel.

When Pacific Shipping Line prepares to load containers onto the MV Pacific Dawn for a voyage from Los Angeles to Shanghai, it sends a vessel stow plan to the Port of Los Angeles terminal operator. The transmission includes the vessel’s name and IMO number in the V1 segment, identifies LA as the loading port and Shanghai as the discharge port using R4 segments, and then lists each container—such as a 40-foot high-cube box from Electronics Importer Inc. bound for Shanghai—in separate N7 loops. Each N7 loop specifies the container’s equipment number, provides seal numbers for security verification, references its stowage position on deck or in hold, and notes any special instructions such as hazardous material declarations or temperature control requirements. The terminal uses this information to direct dock workers to stage containers in the correct sequence and place them in their assigned locations aboard the vessel.