Why Use MTML?

MTML is compatible with the International Marine Purchasing Association’s (IMPA) Electronic Trading Standard Format (ETSF) which was based on the UN/EDIFACT standard for electronic data interchange and has been specifically designed for electronic exchange of purchasing information in the marine industry. Like IMPA ETSF, MTML is comprehensive and complete, and tailored to address trading issues unique to the maritime industry.

Ten alternative XML standards efforts were reviewed prior to the decision to go with an IMPA ETSF foundation. It is patently clear that, even in the more general standards efforts, no one has as yet done the hard, cross-industry work to create standards that will really support many industries. None of the reviewed standards addressed the breadth of transactions needed to fully support the marine trading process as business is conducted today. One effort, ebXML, is in it early stages, but promises to offer the greatest industry acceptance and consistency of approach with IMPA ETSF, since it is jointly sponsored by UN/CEFACT and OASIS. As an alternative, cross-industry XML standard emerges over the next few years, we will certainly move to replace MTML with that standard.

While maximizing the advantages of its XML foundation, the content and format of MTML messages has been kept as close as possible to IMPA ETSF. Those companies already utilizing IMPA ETSF should find that adding support for MTML requires minimal rework to existing software packages.

Marine shipping companies and their suppliers can utilize MTML right now to produce and accept requisitions, requests for quotes, quotations, orders and related interchanges using simple interfaces to their business systems.

MTML is being developed in cooperation with IMPA and several key industry players. It has also been submitted to OASIS and other standards organizations for review, standardization, and publication. MTML is an open standard that will be freely shared with all participants in the marine purchasing supply chain.

A vendor-neutral organization, MTML.org, has been established to foster adoption and evolution of the standard. This organization will provide a forum for discussion and dialogue about the standard and its applicability to the business needs of member companies. It will make changes to the standard based on objectively weighing the input of all member companies. It will also provide access to resources that will help member companies adopt and implement the new standard. MTML.org welcomes all marine traders to begin utilizing and providing input to this new standard.