MPCI Overview
Maritime Pre-Load Cargo Information (MPCI) is a mandatory cargo filing requirement introduced by the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) in the United Arab Emirates. Under this regulation, shipment information must be submitted in advance to the National Advance Information Center (NAIC) system before the cargo is loaded onto the vessel at the origin port.
The main purpose of MPCI is to allow UAE authorities to review shipment information in advance, perform risk assessment, and enhance cargo security before the shipment arrives in the UAE.
A freight forwarder must submit MPCI when handling ocean import shipments moving into the UAE or transshipment shipments (FROB) passing through the UAE. MPCI filing is also required when the shipment is an import consolidation with one Master BL and multiple House BLs, or a back-to-back shipment with one Master BL and one House BL. In these scenarios, the forwarder is responsible for submitting the House BL details to the MPCI system. If the shipment is a direct ocean import handled only with a Master BL by the shipping line and without any House BL, the freight forwarder is not required to submit MPCI.
Cargo data must be submitted 24 hours before loading at the foreign port of departure so that NAIC can assess it for compliance.
In the Fresa Application, users can easily generate, submit, and track MPCI EDI filings directly from the shipment page and monitor the filing status through the UAE MPCI Monitor dashboard.
Prerequisites
1. MPCI Party ID Configuration
Before submitting MPCI EDI, forwarders must register on the NAIC portal and obtain their MPCI Party ID. This ID identifies the forwarder when submitting shipment data. It must be configured in the Fresa Application before filing.
2. Container Master Configuration – MPCI ISO Code
Ensure that the correct MPCI ISO code is configured in the Container Master in fresa application. This ensures container details are transmitted correctly during MPCI EDI submission.
Step 10: On the UAE MPCI EDI Edit page, you can review and update the following:
• Service Provider ID, Receiver Party ID, and UAE Forwarder MPCI Party ID under Interchange Header are already system-configured. Manual entry is not required.
• Any shipment details missed earlier can be entered or corrected here.
• Red-highlighted fields indicate mandatory data required for MPCI submission.
Step 18: The status will now change from Draft to Submitted. Click Get Status to retrieve the latest response from the NAIC system. You can also click View Response to see the detailed response received from the UAE NAIC portal.
After retrieving the response, the system will display the MPCI status returned from the NAIC. This status indicates whether the cargo is approved for loading or if further action is required. The possible MPCI responses are explained below.
Submitted – The MPCI filing has been successfully transmitted from Fresa Gold to the NAIC portal and is awaiting review by the authorities. The shipment details have been received by the portal, and the assessment process is pending.
Accepted – The submitted shipment details have been reviewed and accepted by the NAIC portal. The cargo is approved from the MPCI filing perspective. This corresponds to the Assessment Complete (ACT) response, which indicates that the shipment is cleared for loading.
Note: In consolidation shipments, the Master BL will receive approval only after all associated House BLs have received approval.
Processing – The filing has been received by the NAIC portal and is currently under review. The final status is yet to be provided. Once the assessment is completed, the status will be updated accordingly.
Need More Info – The NAIC portal requires additional information or corrections before the filing can be approved. Users should review the response details on the NAIC portal and update the required information in Fresa Gold accordingly. This is similar to the Request for Information (RFI) response, where additional clarification or supporting details are required from the forwarder.
Do Not Load – The shipment has not been approved by the NAIC portal. The cargo should not be loaded until the reported issues are reviewed and resolved. In consolidation shipments, the forwarder may remove the affected House BLs, re-consolidate the remaining shipments, and re-submit the filing for approval.
Step 19: Navigate to the Documentation module.
Step 20: Select the UAE MPCI Monitor menu under the Documentation module.
Step 21: On the UAE MPCI Monitor page, select the required filters and click Submit.
Step 24: Select the required shipment from the list. In the Submit Filing column, click Submit MPCI to check if the shipment has already been submitted and to view the latest filing status received from NAIC.
Step 25: On the MPCI EDI page, check the shipment status. If it is already submitted, select Get Status to retrieve the latest filing information. If not submitted, select Generate File and then Submit MPCI directly from this page.
The above blogs explains, Steps to Submit MPCI EDI and Track Filing Status in Fresa Application
Mandatory Details for MPCI Submission:
• Carrier details at the shipment/job level.
• BL details at the shipment level, including HBL No. and HBL Date.
• MBL No. at the job level.
• Vessel Name and Voyage No.
• Under the Customs tab, Vessel IMO Code and Vessel Nationality are mandatory.
• Select the party details as Shipper, Consignee, and Notify Party at the shipment level
• Mandatory to enter container details, including Container No. and Liner Seal.
Who we are
Fresa Technologies Inc is an independent, neutral and professional software company that provides IT and IT enabled services with focus on providing solutions to Freight forwarding and shipping industries.Fresa Technologies also focus on developing cost effective and efficient Freight Forwarding Software Applications with a user friendly interface and back office solutions. It also focuses on infrastructure and hardware support such as developing & maintaining websites and Mail Services.
Our team comprises of highly skilled individuals, who are experienced architects in designing & developing Freight forwarding & logistics software for over 20 years. They are domain experts and specialize in providing customized, user friendly and cost effective solutions. They focus on enhancing user experience and satisfaction for a sustainable relationship.