Overview - ISO 28005-1:2024 (Electronic port clearance, Part 1)
ISO 28005-1:2024 defines the message structures and application programming interfaces (APIs) for Electronic Port Clearance (EPC) in the ships and marine technology domain. The standard establishes principles, methods and requirements for secure, peer-to-peer message exchanges between ships, ship representatives and shore parties. It covers how message content is assembled from the ISO 28005 series, the use of digital signatures for authentication, integrity and confidentiality, a specified transport protocol, basic message exchange patterns and role definitions for each participant. The document also defines how Message Implementation Guides (MIGs) are produced for specific communication applications.
Key technical topics and requirements
- Message structures and XSD definitions: clear rules for XML Schema (XSD) files, including file structure, naming and versioning, character set and namespace handling.
- XML design principles: conventions such as avoiding XML attributes, default minOccurs/maxOccurs values, element ordering and signalling empty tags.
- Standardized data types: adapted epc:* types (e.g., epc:date, epc:dateTime, epc:string, epc:anyURI) and general ISO 28005 data types for common maritime data elements.
- Security requirements: use of digital signatures and authentication tokens to ensure message integrity, confidentiality and non-repudiation.
- Transport protocol and exchange patterns: a specified transport method and defined protocol roles and basic message exchange patterns for peer-to-peer EPC messaging.
- Message Implementation Guides (MIGs): mechanism to create application-specific guides for particular clearance workflows and message types.
- Cross-reference to ISO 28005 series: mechanisms to assemble data content from other parts of the series (e.g., ISO 28005-2).
Practical applications and users
ISO 28005-1 is intended for organizations that implement or operate electronic port clearance and ship-to-shore messaging:
- Ship operators and ship agents - automate pre-arrival notifications, clearance requests and reduce paperwork.
- Port authorities and maritime administrations - receive standardized, authenticated messages for regulatory checks and arrival clearance.
- Port community systems and terminal operators - integrate EPC APIs into local workflows and systems.
- Software vendors and system integrators - implement the XSDs, APIs, security mechanisms and MIGs to enable interoperable solutions.
- Regulatory bodies - specify compliance requirements and support national e‑clearance frameworks.
Related standards
- ISO 28005 series (other parts provide complementary data models and implementation guidance)
- ISO 28005-2:2021 referenced for data type definitions and integration
Keywords: ISO 28005-1, Electronic port clearance, EPC, message structures, APIs, XSD, digital signatures, transport protocol, maritime communications, Message Implementation Guides (MIGs).
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