ETD vs ETA in Shipping: How Do You Read the Schedule?

ETD is the estimated time a vessel leaves the loading port; ETA is the estimated time it arrives at the discharge port. Neither is a firm commitment. The dates on a booking confirmation are planning figures that the carrier can revise.

Key takeaways

• ETD (Estimated Time of Departure) is the planned sailing from the port of loading; ETA (Estimated Time of Arrival) is the planned arrival at the port of discharge.
• ATD and ATA are the actual times, recorded once the vessel has sailed or arrived.
• Treat ETD and ETA as estimates only; weather, terminal congestion and schedule changes can move them.
• In Korea, goods whose export declaration has been accepted must be loaded within 30 days of acceptance (Customs Act, Article 251). With good reason, you can ask customs to extend the loading period, up to one year.

What do ETD and ETA actually mean?

ETD is the time the carrier expects the vessel to leave the berth at the loading port, and ETA is the time the same vessel is expected to reach the discharge port. Because both are labelled “estimated,” they carry no contractual force and are routinely updated by the carrier or forwarder.

Exporters count backwards from ETD to set the CY cut-off, trucking and export declaration timing. Importers use ETA to prepare customs entries and inland transport.

How are ETD and ETA different from ATD and ATA?

ETD and ETA are planned times, while ATD (Actual Time of Departure) and ATA (Actual Time of Arrival) are what really happened. Once the ship sails, ATD replaces ETD on the tracking page, and once it arrives, ATA replaces ETA.

Term	Meaning	When it is fixed
ETD	Estimated departure	Booking stage
ATD	Actual departure	After the vessel has sailed
ETA	Estimated arrival	Updated during the voyage
ATA	Actual arrival	After the vessel has arrived

Most carrier portals and tracking pages show this switch automatically.

How do you read the schedule on a booking confirmation?

A booking confirmation normally lists the vessel and voyage number, the ETD at the loading port, the ETA at the discharge port, and the document and CY cut-offs. Dates are often given in each port’s local time, so check the time zones first.

The document (SI/VGM) cut-off is the deadline for sending shipping instructions and the verified gross mass to the carrier; the CY cut-off is the deadline for the container to be gated into the terminal. The order and gap between the two vary by carrier, so check each one on the booking confirmation.

The following is a hypothetical example for illustration, not a real schedule.

• Route: Busan to Los Angeles
• ETD: 25 October 2026, 18:00 Korea time
• Transit time: the number of days shown in the carrier’s schedule
• ETA: 8 November 2026, 10:00 US Pacific time

Lead time is not just ETD to ETA. It runs from factory gate-out through CY in-gate, departure, arrival and customs release to final delivery, and each step needs its own allowance.

How do you count a shipping schedule backwards?

Start from the ETD, then set the document and CY cut-offs, then the factory dispatch date. Cut-off times differ by carrier and terminal, so get the exact times when you book.

Say you book one container out of Busan with an ETD of 25 October.

• CY cut-off: follow the time on the booking confirmation or the carrier’s notice.
• Export declaration: goods must be loaded within 30 days of acceptance, so filing too early can leave you past the limit if the sailing slips (Customs Act, Article 251).
• Factory dispatch: leave at least one clear day before the cut-off.

If the ETA is 8 November, the importer plans customs work for that week. A one-day delay in departure often shifts the ETA by a similar amount, so recheck the updated schedule.

What are the most common schedule mistakes?

The most common mistake is treating ETD and ETA, which are estimates, as fixed dates. Missing time zones and cut-offs comes close behind.

• Promising the booking ETD to the buyer as a firm “shipped on” date.
• Booking inland trucks against the first ETA and then paying waiting time when the vessel is late.
• Comparing dates without adjusting for time zones.
• Missing the cut-off and being rolled to the next sailing.

FAQ

How will I know if the ETD changes?

The carrier or forwarder updates the booking confirmation or sends a change notice. For critical cargo, check the latest ETD with your forwarder the day before cut-off.

Does a delayed ETA start demurrage right away?

No. Demurrage usually starts once free time runs out after the container has been discharged at the terminal, so a late arrival generally moves the start point too. Check the carrier’s tariff for the exact rule, and see our demurrage and detention guide.

Are ETD and ETA used for air freight?

Yes. Air schedules tend to move less than ocean schedules, but the times on the booking are still estimates until the flight has departed or landed.

What if the buyer wants the ETA written into the contract?

State that it is the carrier’s estimated arrival based on the published schedule, and set out delay liability separately. Writing it as a guaranteed date invites disputes. For who carries which risk under each delivery term, see our Incoterms 2020 summary.

Sources

• Korea Law Information Center, Customs Act Article 251 (Korean)
• Marine Insight, ETD and ETA in Shipping
• Cello Square, ETA vs ETD vs ATD vs ATA (Korean)
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