Why the timeline matters so much
Ocean shipping runs on fixed vessel schedules. Vessel, terminal and customs dates depend on each other, and a delay in one step can push the whole chain to the next vessel. A missed cut-off often means a week's delay plus extra storage and demurrage.
An FCL export, step by step
The steps below show a typical FCL export by sea. Move back and forth to see who does what at each step, which document is created and what to watch for. The day counts are examples; the real cut-offs are stated in the carrier's booking confirmation.
All steps (table)
| When? | Step | Who? | Document | Watch out |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ETD −14 days | Quotation and booking Container type and number, cargo weight and any dangerous goods or reefer details are given correctly. | Shipper / forwarder | Booking request | Book early in peak season to secure space. |
| ETD −12 days | Booking confirmation The booking number, vessel and voyage, empty pick-up depot and cut-offs are confirmed. | Carrier / agent | Booking confirmation | The cut-offs are stated here; plan everything around them. |
| ETD −8 days | Empty pick-up The empty container is collected from the depot and checked for damage and cleanliness. | Road haulier | Equipment interchange receipt (EIR) | For exports the detention clock usually starts here. |
| ETD −7 days | Stuffing and sealing The cargo is packed following weight distribution and securing rules; the doors are sealed. | Shipper | Packing list, seal number | The seal number must be entered correctly in the shipping instructions. |
| ETD −6 days | Export clearance The export declaration is filed; an inspection may follow. | Customs broker | Export declaration | The tariff code and description must match the shipping instructions. |
| ETD −5 days | VGM and shipping instructions The verified gross mass and shipping instructions are sent before their cut-offs. | Shipper / forwarder | VGM, SI | For EU and US-bound cargo, data must be filed at least 24 hours before loading. |
| ETD −3 days | Gate-in at the terminal The full container is delivered between the stack date and the CY cut-off. | Road haulier | Terminal gate-in record | Miss the CY cut-off and the container rolls to the next vessel. |
| ETD | Loading and departure The container is loaded and the carrier issues the bill of lading. | Terminal / carrier | Bill of lading (shipped on board) | Do not let originals be issued before approving the draft. |
| In transit | Transshipment If needed, the container moves between a feeder and a mother vessel at a hub port. | Carrier | — | There is a risk of delays and rollover at the hub. |
| ETA −3 days | Arrival notice The consignee and notify party are informed of the arrival and local charges. | Carrier / agent | Arrival notice | Have the import documents ready before the vessel arrives. |
| ETA | Delivery order and import clearance The delivery order is obtained against the original bill (or telex release / sea waybill); the import declaration is filed. | Buyer / customs broker | Delivery order, import declaration | The demurrage clock starts at discharge. |
| ETA +5 days | Delivery and empty return The container is delivered, unpacked and returned empty to the carrier's depot. | Buyer / road haulier | Empty return EIR | The detention clock stops at empty return. |
Cut-offs
The carrier gives several cut-offs for each sailing:
- Documentation / SI cut-off: The last moment to send the shipping instructions for the bill of lading. Later amendments may be charged.
- VGM cut-off: The last moment to submit the verified gross mass.
- CY cut-off (container yard): The last moment to deliver the full container to the terminal.
- Stack date (opening): The date the terminal starts accepting full containers for that sailing. A container delivered earlier may be refused or charged.
Cut-offs for dangerous goods and reefer containers are usually earlier.
VGM: the SOLAS rule
Under SOLAS chapter VI/2, the party named as shipper on the bill of lading must submit the verified gross mass (VGM) of each container to the carrier before loading. The VGM is obtained by one of two methods:
- Method 1: The packed and sealed container is weighed on a calibrated weighbridge.
- Method 2: The cargo, packaging, pallets and securing material are weighed individually and added to the container's tare, following a procedure approved by the country concerned.
A container without a VGM is not loaded.
The 24-hour rules
Advance cargo information systems require cargo data to be filed with the destination country before the container is loaded:
- EU (ICS2): For container shipments from a non-EU port to the EU, the entry summary declaration data must be filed at least 24 hours before loading starts.
- United States: A 24-hour rule before loading at the port of departure also applies to container cargo bound for the US.
The carrier and forwarder make these filings, but a missing or wrong description of the goods comes from the shipper. That is why the description and HS code in the shipping instructions must be correct.
Transshipment, feeders and blank sailings
Not every port is called at by large ocean-going vessels (mother vessels). Cargo is often carried first by a smaller feeder vessel to a transshipment hub and moved onto the large vessel there. Congestion at the hub can cause the container to be rolled over to the next vessel.
When demand drops or vessels run late, carriers may cancel a sailing altogether (a blank sailing). Bookings are then moved to other vessels and the timeline has to be rebuilt.
At destination
Before the vessel arrives, the carrier or its agent sends the consignee an arrival notice. The consignee pays the freight and local charges, presents the original bill of lading (or relies on a telex release or sea waybill) and receives a delivery order. Once import clearance is complete, the container is collected from the terminal, unpacked and returned empty to the depot named by the carrier. The clocks that run at this stage are covered in the demurrage and detention topic.
Test yourself
- The container reached the terminal after the CY cut-off. What happens? (Answer: It will most likely not be loaded on that vessel and will roll to the next one; extra storage and costs may arise.)
- Who must submit the VGM? (Answer: The party named as shipper on the bill of lading.)
- By when must the cargo data for a container from Mersin to Hamburg be filed with the EU? (Answer: At least 24 hours before loading starts in Mersin.)