ETD, ETA and Cut-off Dates Explained
A carrier schedule is full of abbreviations that look self-explanatory and aren’t quite. Here’s what each one actually commits the carrier to, and how to read a schedule when a sailing is running late.
01What the Abbreviations Mean
| ETD | Estimated Time of Departure — the planned sailing date, not a guarantee |
|---|---|
| ETA | Estimated Time of Arrival — the planned arrival date, not a guarantee |
| ATD / ATA | Actual Time of Departure / Arrival — what actually happened, confirmed only after the fact |
| CY cut-off | Deadline for gating the container into the container yard |
| Document cut-off | Deadline for submitting the Shipping Instruction (SI) |
| VGM cut-off | Deadline for declaring the container’s verified gross mass, a SOLAS requirement |
The one distinction worth internalizing: ETD and ETA are estimates, not commitments. Weather, port congestion and skipped port calls all move them. If you’re quoting a delivery date to your own customer, build in a buffer rather than passing the ETA through as a promise.
02Reading a Carrier Schedule
A carrier’s schedule lists the vessel name, the voyage number, and ETD/ETA for each port on the string. The voyage number matters more than it looks — the same vessel can run different voyages, and a booking confirmation only matches a specific sailing when both the vessel name and voyage number line up. Checking the vessel name alone isn’t enough.
On routes with transshipment, the schedule shows two legs: origin to the transshipment port, then transshipment port to destination. The total transit time is the sum of both legs plus whatever time the container waits at the transshipment port — and that wait time is the hardest part of the schedule to predict, which is why transshipment routes tend to carry a wider range of quoted transit days than direct services.
03When a Sailing Runs Late
A delayed departure doesn’t automatically mean an equally delayed arrival. Carriers sometimes recover time by increasing speed on the voyage; other times, congestion at an intermediate port adds further delay on top of the original one. The most reliable read is the ETA update issued after the ATD is confirmed — that’s the point at which the schedule reflects what’s actually happening, rather than the original plan.
A skipped port call (“port omission”) is a different situation altogether. When a carrier omits a scheduled stop, cargo destined for that port is rolled to a later sailing — this typically adds a week or more, not a few days, so it’s worth flagging to your buyer or consignee as soon as you hear about it rather than waiting to see how it plays out.
Indicative transit times by route are listed on our route list.
FAQFrequently Asked Questions
How accurate is the ETA, really?
On short-haul, direct routes it’s usually close. On long-haul routes or those involving transshipment, a swing of several days to a week is normal. If the cargo has a hard delivery deadline, plan around the wider range, not the headline figure.
What happens if I miss the CY cut-off?
The container rolls to the next available sailing. On a route with frequent departures that might mean a few days’ delay; on a route with only fortnightly or monthly service, it can mean waiting two weeks or more.
Can the vessel assigned to my booking change?
Yes. Carriers adjust their vessel rotations for their own operational reasons, and this isn’t unusual. If a change affects your booking, your forwarder should notify you as soon as it’s known.
About this guide
This guide is written and edited by the OCEAN FREIGHT JAPAN (SK.inc) editorial team, based on hands-on freight-forwarding experience and primary official sources. Content reflects information current as of the publication date — for the latest regulations, please check official sources directly.
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