Noun: Shipment Unit

The ShipmentUnit represents a single track-able, uniquely identifiable assembly or container containing a specific collection of goods inventory that is packaged by a supplier for carrier transportation to a customer business partner destination

The ShipmentUnit component identifies and describes the physical shipping container(s) and internal packaging structure of the delivered goods. The ShipmentUnit component is typically constructed to describe the result of an inventory picking and packing operation.

A ShipmentUnit is generally the smallest “thing” that can be individually moved and tracked throughout a carrier’s transportation network. The physical size, inventory, content and internal nested container complexity within a ShipUnit is arbitrary. The ShipUnit component was specifically designed to be transportation mode independent. It may be used to represent any uniquely identifiable and track-able assembly, container or vessel including, but not limited to: a parcel express package; a pallet of identical or mixed items; a truck trailer, rail car or an ocean cargo container.

The ShipmentUnit complements the line-item oriented summary information provided in the Shipment’s ShipmentItem and InventoryDetail component with detailed information to accurately describe complex shipping unit assemblies and item packaging.