The manual SI process on Maersk
A typical Maersk SI submission follows six steps. Each step involves carrier-specific portal behavior that differs from MSC, CMA CGM, and other lines.
- 01
Retrieve booking confirmation
Extract booking number, vessel/voyage, container allocation, port pair, and cut-off dates from Maersk.com or email confirmation.
Pain pointBooking confirmations from MSKU and SEAU legacy entities use different reference formats than MAEU bookings. Ops staff must identify the correct prefix before proceeding.
- 02
Log into Maersk.com and select booking
Navigate to the Shipping Instructions section on Maersk.com. Select the booking reference. The portal pre-populates some fields from the booking but requires manual entry for shipper, consignee, and cargo details.
- 03
Populate SI fields
Enter shipper details, consignee, notify party, marks and numbers, goods description, HS codes (6-digit minimum), package count, gross weight, measurement, container details, and seal numbers.
Pain pointMaersk's portal expects HS codes at the 6-digit level minimum. Country-specific extended codes (8–10 digits) are silently truncated, which can trigger a validation rejection downstream.
- 04
Cross-reference against letter of credit
For LC shipments, ensure goods description matches LC terms character-for-character. A single mismatch triggers a discrepancy at the bank, which costs the shipper time and money.
Pain pointLC cross-referencing is the highest-skill step. It requires reading both the LC terms and the SI fields simultaneously, matching every character. Most ops teams assign this to senior staff only.
- 05
Submit and monitor for acceptance
Submit the SI and wait for carrier acceptance or rejection. Maersk's portal returns rejection reasons, but error messages are often generic ('field validation error') without specifying which field failed.
Pain pointGeneric rejection messages force ops staff to re-check every field manually, turning a 2-minute fix into a 15-minute investigation.
- 06
Handle amendments
If the shipper changes consignee details, weight, or goods description after SI submission, submit an SI amendment through the portal or via email to the local Maersk documentation team. Switch BL amendments involve origin and destination coordination, adding 24–48 hours.
Where Maersk SI errors happen
The most common Maersk SI rejection and rework triggers, based on patterns across freight forwarder ops desks.
HS code format mismatch
CommonMaersk's portal expects HS codes at the 6-digit level minimum. Some forwarders submit 4-digit codes or country-specific extended codes (8–10 digits) that the portal truncates incorrectly. The truncation is silent — the portal accepts the submission, then a downstream validation rejects it hours later.
VGM weight discrepancy
CommonSI gross weight must match the VGM (Verified Gross Mass) declaration. If VGM was submitted separately and differs by more than the carrier's tolerance threshold, the SI gets flagged. The tolerance is not published — forwarders learn it through trial and error.
Missing seal numbers at submission
FrequentSeal numbers aren't always available when the SI is first prepared. Ops staff submit the SI without seals, then forget to amend before cut-off. Maersk's cut-off enforcement has tightened since mid-2025.
Switch BL consignee mismatch
OccasionalWhen the trade involves a middleman (trader), switch BL requests require a second SI submission with different shipper/consignee details. Maersk's amendment workflow for switch BLs involves the origin and destination documentation teams, adding 24–48 hours.
How Expedion agents handle Maersk SIs
Expedion's AI agents automate the end-to-end SI workflow for Maersk shipments. Every step maps to a specific automation capability.
Agents parse the booking confirmation (from email or TMS), extract all required fields, and cross-reference against the shipper's commercial invoice and packing list. HS codes are validated against Maersk's accepted 6-digit minimum format before submission.
Agents log into Maersk.com via API integration (where available) or authenticated browser session, populate all fields following Maersk's specific field ordering and validation rules, and submit. Every submission is logged with a full audit trail.
Agents automatically compare SI gross weight against the filed VGM declaration and flag discrepancies before submission, preventing the most common rejection trigger.
For LC shipments, agents compare goods descriptions character-for-character against the LC terms (when provided) and surface discrepancies with specific field-level callouts before submission.
When shipper details change post-submission, agents generate the amendment, route it for approval to the forwarder's designated reviewer, and submit upon approval. Switch BL amendments are flagged as high-priority with origin/destination coordination handled automatically.
Maersk SI portal details
Key details for ops teams submitting shipping instructions on Maersk shipments.
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| SI Portal | Maersk.com → Shipping Instructions |
| SCAC codes accepted | MAEU, MSKU, SEAU |
| HS code format | 6-digit minimum required |
| VGM requirement | Must be filed before or alongside SI |
| Cut-off enforcement | Strict since mid-2025; 24-72 hours before vessel cut-off |
TMS compatibility for Maersk SI
Expedion agents submit Maersk SIs from within your existing TMS. For CargoWise users, agents read shipment data via the eAdaptor API and submit through Maersk.com. For GoFreight and Magaya, agents use the respective REST and Open APIs. For forwarders without a TMS, agents work directly from email and spreadsheet workflows.
Full TMS compatibility details are on the Maersk overview page.
Related pages
Maersk carrier pages: Maersk overview · Bill of lading · Booking · Documentation · Tracking & visibility
SI across carriers: Shipping instructions automation · MSC shipping instructions · CMA CGM shipping instructions · Hapag-Lloyd shipping instructions · ONE shipping instructions · COSCO shipping instructions · Evergreen shipping instructions
Frequently asked questions
How does Expedion handle Maersk's generic SI rejection messages?
When Maersk returns a generic 'field validation error,' agents analyze the rejection against known validation patterns (HS code format, VGM mismatch, field length limits) to identify the likely cause. The corrected resubmission is routed for your team's approval before sending.
Can agents handle Maersk SI amendments after the initial submission?
Yes. Agents prepare amendments in Maersk's required format, route them through your approval workflow, and submit. Pre-departure and post-departure amendments are handled differently based on vessel schedule status. Switch BL amendments coordinate between origin and destination documentation teams automatically.
How does Expedion validate HS codes before Maersk SI submission?
Agents validate HS codes against Maersk's 6-digit minimum requirement before submission. Country-specific extended codes (8–10 digits) are normalized to the accepted format. Invalid or ambiguous codes are flagged for human review rather than submitted and rejected.
What happens if VGM and SI weights don't match?
Agents compare SI gross weight against the filed VGM declaration before submission. If the difference exceeds Maersk's tolerance threshold, the discrepancy is flagged to your ops team with both values shown, preventing the most common SI rejection trigger.