Under the MPCI program, economic operators involved in bringing cargo through or into the UAE—including shipping lines or their representatives, freight forwarders, and NVOCCs—are required to file shipment data with NAIC. These entities are collectively referred to as Filers.

NAIC facilitates filing through accredited Technology Service Providers, which most filers use to submit shipment data. Freight forwarders, shipping agents, and NVOCCs are required to file through these service providers, while shipping lines may choose either to integrate through an accredited service provider or connect directly to the NAIC system.

The program mandates the electronic submission of shipment data for containerized maritime cargo, with the primary trade documents being the shipping line’s bill of lading and the freight forwarder’s bill of lading. The filing process begins when the filer submits these bills of lading for shipments bound to or transiting through the UAE.

Once submitted, the system validates and assesses the shipment data. NAIC then issues electronic responses to the filer, including:

• Validation responses confirming acceptance or rejection due to data errors requiring correction and resubmission
• Assessment responses instructing the filer to load, not load, or provide additional information before loading the cargo onto the vessel
  

Filing responsibilities and delegation rules for different participants in the maritime cargo movement process are defined in subsequent sections of the document, along with detailed requirements for message formats, communication channels, and submission timelines.