Definition
The deadline by which cargo or documents must reach the terminal or carrier to make a given sailing.
A cut-off is the last moment a carrier will accept cargo or paperwork for a specific vessel. There are several — gate-in/cargo cut-off, documentation cut-off, and VGM cut-off — each governing a different requirement ahead of departure.
Missing any cut-off means the shipment rolls to the next sailing, delaying the cargo and disrupting downstream plans. Forwarders build their booking timelines backward from the cut-offs to ensure everything lands before the deadlines.
Related terms
ETD (Estimated Time of Departure)
The carrier’s estimate of when a vessel, flight, or shipment will depart from its origin.
ETA (Estimated Time of Arrival)
The carrier’s estimate of when a vessel, flight, or shipment will arrive at its destination.
Port of Loading (POL)
The port where cargo is loaded onto the vessel for the main ocean leg of its journey.
Gross Weight
The total weight of the cargo including its packaging, pallets, and any container or unit load device.
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