Arrival Notice: What to Do When a Vessel Arrives at Port

Arrival Notice: The Document That Starts the Clock

An Arrival Notice (AN) is a notification sent by the shipping line's local agent to the consignee 3–5 days before the vessel reaches port. It is not merely an informational letter — from the moment the container is discharged, which the notice warns about in advance, the free storage period at the terminal begins (typically 3–5 days), and the demurrage and storage clock starts automatically. A consignee who is not ready at that moment loses money from day one.

An arrival notice is a call to action, not a «for your information» message. By the time you receive it, your documents should already be in order, the customs declaration pre-coordinated, and transport booked to collect the container from the port. In this article we break down what an arrival notice contains, what to do with it, and what must not be missed. Practical support for all port procedures is covered on our port forwarding services page.

What an Arrival Notice Contains

The notice arrives from the shipping line's local agent as an email. The layout varies between lines, but the standard set of fields is the same.

What to Do Immediately After Receiving the Notice

Steps After Receiving an Arrival Notice

A step-by-step action plan for the consignee or their freight forwarder from the moment the Arrival Notice is received

⏱ 24–48 hours for initial steps · 💰 Depends on line and terminal tariffs

  1. Cross-check the notice against the bill of lading
    Verify that the following match: B/L number, consignee name, cargo description, number of packages, port of discharge. Any discrepancy — contact the line's agent immediately to request an Amendment. For a full field-by-field breakdown, see our article «Bill of Lading: What It Is and How to Read It».
  2. Confirm the free time conditions
    Ask the line's agent for the exact terms: how many free days are granted on demurrage, and from which date they are counted (discharge date or vessel arrival date). At the same time, confirm the free storage period with the terminal (usually 3 days from the discharge date).
  3. Forward the notice to your customs broker
    From this point, the broker begins preparing the customs cargo declaration.
  4. Book transport
    Inform your road carrier of the expected customs release date and the port. The truck must be at the terminal gate on the day of release — not two days later. Every extra day equals terminal storage charges.
  5. Monitor the ETA
    Vessels are frequently delayed. Track the latest ETA via the line's website or AIS services (MarineTraffic, VesselFinder). Confirm with the agent 24–48 hours before the vessel arrives. Important note: all of the above can be handled independently. However, it requires active agreements with every party in the chain described above — which is complex and, more importantly, impractical when import volumes are small. This is why most importers delegate this work to their freight forwarder.

Why the Arrival Notice Is Directly Linked to Storage Costs

Most consignees learn about storage and demurrage charges only after the amounts have grown to an unpleasant size. The reason: they treat the notice as an informational letter and do not act immediately.

The real timeline: the vessel arrives at port → the next day the container is discharged onto the terminal → the first of three free storage days begins. If you have no Delivery Order and no declaration filed by that point, you are already losing money.

The ideal scenario: by the day the vessel arrives, all documents are ready, the broker files the declaration online, and transport is booked. The container then leaves the terminal on day 2–3 — within the free period. This is exactly how Trans-Hope's port forwarding service works: we receive the notice and immediately launch parallel work across all fronts.

Common Problems With Arrival Notices

  • Notice sent to the wrong party — if the Notify Party field names the freight forwarder rather than your company, the notice goes to them. Clarify with your forwarder who receives the notification and how quickly they pass it on to you.
  • Notice never arrives — the agent may have used an outdated email address. Do not wait passively: 3–4 days before the expected ETA, contact the line's agent yourself or check through your freight forwarder.
  • The ETA in the notice is outdated — the vessel has been delayed. This does not mean you can relax: congested terminals accept vessels late, but once a vessel berths the container is discharged quickly — and the clock starts regardless.
  • Notice data does not match the B/L — a mixup or an agent error. In any case — find out the cause immediately; do not wait for the vessel to arrive.

Arrival Notice and Container Types: What to Watch For

The notice always states the container type: 20DC, 40HC, reefer, etc. For refrigerated containers (reefer), it is critical to confirm the temperature settings before the vessel arrives — the terminal must be informed about power connection requirements. Delays on this point can result in cargo spoilage.

toggle answer Who sends the arrival notice? toggle answer

The local agent of the shipping line at the destination port. For example, if the cargo is moving on MSC, the notice will come from the MSC agent in Chornomorsk or Odessa. The agent's contact details are usually listed in the notice itself.

toggle answer How many days after the notice does storage start? toggle answer

Storage starts not from the notice, but from the date the container is actually discharged onto the terminal. The first 3 days are free. From day 4, the terminal begins charging storage. In parallel, the line counts down its own free time for demurrage (usually 7–14 days).

toggle answer What should I do if no arrival notice arrives? toggle answer

Do not wait. Contact the shipping line's local agent at the Ukrainian port directly — agent contact details are listed on the line's website under «Agents» for Ukraine / Chornomorsk / Odessa. Alternatively, check with your freight forwarder. The absence of a notice does not stop storage charges from accruing.

toggle answer Is the arrival notice required at the port? toggle answer

No. The arrival notice is an information document for the consignee. What you present at the terminal is the Delivery Order (cargo release authorisation), obtained from the line's agent after payment. However, the data in the notice — B/L number, container number, ETA — is used in all communications with the agent and the terminal.

Received a notice and not sure where to start? Hand it over to the Trans-Hope team — we take over the full process from the first hour after notification.