Overview
ASTM F2017-15(2022), Standard Guide for Database Structure of Electronic Data Interchange Between Ship Owner and Shipyard for Contract Administration provides a comprehensive framework for the structured electronic exchange of information between ship owners and shipyards. Developed by ASTM International, this standard is designed to facilitate contract administration by standardizing the data structures used in electronic data interchange (EDI). The guide aims to eliminate redundant manual data entry, increase accessibility of contract information, and support secure, efficient communication throughout the ship repair contract lifecycle.
Key Topics
- Database Structure: Establishes common field lengths, names, and data types so exchanged information can be used directly by individual software platforms. By defining a unified structure, it ensures compatibility and reduces the risk of errors associated with manual data re-entry.
- Types of Exchanged Data: Specifies key documents and database fields such as Condition Found Reports, Requests for Proposals (RFPs), Proposals, Responses, and Test and Trial Agendas.
- Data Security and Control: Recognizes the sensitive nature of contract data and addresses requirements for maintaining control while enabling sharing of designated, non-sensitive information.
- SQL Compliance: Recommends using SQL-compliant relational databases to ensure industry-standard manipulation and control over contract administration data.
- Practical Terminology: Defines important terms including BLOB (binary large object), CHAR field types, Condition Found Report (CFR), and others, standardizing the language used in ship owner-shipyard databasing.
- International Alignment: The guide reflects international best practices for EDI standardization as established by the World Trade Organization's TBT Committee.
Applications
Adopting ASTM F2017-15(2022) assists ship owners and shipyards in:
- Streamlining Contract Administration: By enabling direct database-to-database EDI, the guide eliminates duplicate data entry and manual data transfer between the ship owner and shipyard, reducing errors and administrative overhead.
- Enhancing Data Accessibility: Designated authorized parties gain broad access to up-to-date contract data, improving decision-making and collaboration throughout the repair or construction period.
- Improving Process Efficiency: Standardized data structures allow different organizations - each potentially using distinct contract management software - to exchange key contract data without custom conversion or manual re-keying.
- Facilitating Compliance and Reporting: Well-structured data supports easier auditing, reporting, and compliance with industry and regulatory requirements.
- Supporting Secure Data Exchange: The guide highlights best practices for retaining control over business-sensitive information while enabling necessary data sharing.
Related Standards
Organizations working with or considering ASTM F2017-15(2022) may also find the following standards relevant:
- ASTM F25 Series: Covers general standards on ships and marine technology, including computer applications in ship operations.
- ISO/IEC 14662: Information technology standards framework for Open-edi Reference Model, applicable to broader EDI contexts.
- World Trade Organization TBT Committee Standards: Provides principles for the development of international standards, ensuring interoperability and global best practices.
- SQL Database Standards (ISO/IEC 9075): Defines the relational database query language standard relied on for many EDI applications.
Key keywords: contract administration, electronic data interchange, ship owner, shipyard, database structure, EDI, ASTM F2017, marine technology, SQL, Condition Found Report, Request for Proposal
By implementing ASTM F2017-15(2022), ship owners and shipyards can achieve reliable, secure, and efficient electronic exchange of essential contract administration data, driving improvements in maritime project execution and management.