Shipping Instructions (SI): When Is the Cut-off?

Shipping Instructions (SI) are the details a shipper sends the carrier or forwarder so the bill of lading (B/L) can be drawn up. The deadline is the SI cut-off (also called the Doc cut-off) printed on the booking confirmation, and it varies by carrier, route and voyage. Miss it and you may pay a late fee or see the container rolled to the next vessel, so check the time and time zone on the confirmation as soon as you book.

Key takeaways

• The SI is the shipper’s instruction data the carrier uses to draft the B/L.
• The deadline is the SI cut-off on the booking confirmation; that document beats any rule of thumb.
• The SI cut-off, VGM cut-off and CY cut-off are separate deadlines.
• Missing it can mean fees or a roll-over to the next sailing, on terms that differ by carrier.

What are Shipping Instructions (SI)?

The SI is the step where the shipper hands over the information the carrier needs for the B/L. It covers the shipper, consignee, notify party, cargo description, package count, weights and container numbers. Accurate data gives a correct draft B/L, which the shipper reviews before the final one is issued.

A B/L is evidence of the contract of carriage and a receipt for the goods, and a negotiable B/L is also a document of title. Errors in the SI therefore become errors on the B/L and can affect customs clearance or payment. B/L types are covered in Bill of Lading vs Sea Waybill.

What must an SI contain?

It needs every party, cargo, container and freight detail that will appear on the B/L. These must match the booking, the commercial invoice and the packing list exactly.

Typical fields are:

• Shipper: full legal name and address
• Consignee: the receiver, or order wording such as “To Order”
• Notify party: who to contact on arrival
• Cargo description, package count, gross weight and volume (CBM)
• Container and seal numbers
• Freight prepaid or collect, and the B/L type (original, surrender, sea waybill)

For keeping documents consistent, see Commercial Invoice vs Packing List.

How is the SI cut-off different from the VGM and CY cut-offs?

The SI cut-off is the deadline for document data, the VGM cut-off is for the verified gross mass of the container, and the CY cut-off is for gating the container into the terminal. Each is set separately, and the order and times follow the carrier’s notice and booking confirmation.

Cut-off	What you submit	Basis / where to check
SI cut-off	Shipping data for the B/L	Carrier’s booking confirmation
VGM cut-off	Verified gross mass (VGM)	SOLAS Chapter VI Regulation 2, carrier notice
CY cut-off	Packed, sealed container at the gate	Carrier and terminal notice

Under SOLAS Chapter VI Regulation 2 of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the shipper named on the B/L or sea waybill is responsible for the VGM, and a container without one is not loaded. See VGM: meaning and how to submit it and, for reading schedules, ETD vs ETA in shipping.

How do you work out the SI deadline?

Take the SI cut-off on the booking confirmation as your fixed point and check whether it is in local time. Then plan your internal preparation backwards from it.

Here is a hypothetical example. If the confirmation shows an ETD of 18:00 on 30 October 2026 and an SI cut-off of 18:00 on 28 October, the SI must be in before 18:00 on 28 October. If the same confirmation shows a VGM cut-off of 18:00 on 29 October, the VGM is submitted separately by then. If finalising the invoice and packing list takes a day, aim to finish them by 27 October.

What are the most common SI mistakes?

The most common one is relying on “usually a few days before” instead of the confirmation. Mismatches between the SI and other documents are a close second.

• Not checking the cut-off time and time zone on the confirmation
• Shipper or consignee details that differ from the commercial invoice
• Missing or wrong container and seal numbers
• Skipping the draft B/L review after submitting the SI

What should you check before sending the SI? (SILENSEA checklist)

The shipping instruction becomes the bill of lading. Fixing it after the cut-off can mean amendment fees or a reissued B/L, so match each line against the contract and the letter of credit first.

Field	Check against	Common slip
Shipper / Consignee / Notify	Contract, L/C	L/C asks for “to order” but the buyer’s name is entered
Description	Commercial invoice, L/C	Generic wording instead of the L/C wording
Packages, weight, CBM	Packing list	CTN vs PLT units, gross vs net weight
Container and seal numbers	Gate-in data	One-digit typo
Freight marking	Incoterms	“Freight collect” on a CFR sale
B/L type and copies	Payment terms	No instruction on original, surrender or sea waybill

How do you plan backwards from the cut-off? (made-up example)

The schedule is an assumption. If the carrier’s SI cut-off is Thursday 12:00, set the internal deadline for Wednesday afternoon and get buyer-dependent fields (consignee, notify, description) confirmed by Tuesday. A buyer who replies a day late then still fits inside the carrier’s cut-off.

Step	Target
Ask buyer to confirm B/L details	3 days before cut-off
Finalise packing list and invoice	2 days before
Draft SI and cross-check internally	1 day before
Submit SI to carrier or forwarder	Morning of cut-off day

FAQ

What happens if I miss the SI cut-off?

It depends on the carrier, but a late or amendment fee may apply, and if required filings can’t be made in time the container may be rolled to the next sailing. Check the booking confirmation and the carrier’s tariff for the exact terms.

Is the SI cut-off the same as the VGM cut-off?

No. They are often set separately, and the VGM must be submitted before loading under SOLAS. Confirm each deadline on its own.

How do I ask for an original B/L or a surrender in the SI?

State the B/L type and release method you want (original, surrender, sea waybill) in the SI. You can choose within what the carrier allows and your sales terms require.

Can I submit the SI through a forwarder?

Yes. In many cases the forwarder receives the SI and passes it to the carrier. Accuracy is still the shipper’s concern, so review the draft B/L yourself.

Sources

• IMO, Verification of the gross mass of a packed container (SOLAS Chapter VI Regulation 2): https://www.imo.org/en/OurWork/Safety/Pages/Verification-of-the-gross-mass.aspx