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· 5 min read

Arrival notice in shipping: an annotated sample and what to check

An arrival notice tells the consignee that an ocean shipment is about to arrive. It is sent by the carrier to the party on the master bill of lading, and by the destination forwarder to the consignee on the house bill. It lists the vessel and arrival date, where the cargo will be, the container numbers, the charges to pay and what is needed to release the cargo. Everything the consignee does next, from customs entry to booking a trucker, starts from it.

What an arrival notice looks like

Layouts differ between carriers and forwarders, but the same blocks appear on almost all of them. The sample below is made up; the numbered notes explain each block.

Sample arrival notice with eight numbered blocks: bill of lading numbers, vessel and ETA, discharge port and cargo location, FIRMS code, container and seal, charges, free time, release requirements ARRIVAL NOTICE Sample · not a real shipment MB/LSAMP26090777 HB/LWO-26-0412 Vessel / VoySEA MERIDIAN / 641E ETA10/20/2026 Port of dischargeLos Angeles, CA Cargo locationHarbor Container Terminal Place of deliveryLos Angeles, CA FIRMS codeX123 Container / seal / typeCSQU3054383 / TR771009 / 40HC Packages / weight1,200 CTNS / 21,450 KG · DRIED APRICOTS Charges due before release Ocean freight (collect)USD 2,450.00 Destination handlingUSD 285.00 Documentation feeUSD 65.00 Free time4 days at terminal · Last free day: 10/24/2026 ReleaseTelex release received · Freight to be paid · Customs clearance Demurrage is charged per container per day after the last free day. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
A made-up arrival notice. Real ones spread the same blocks over different layouts, often in columns.
  • 1 · Bill of lading numbers. The master bill links the notice to the carrier; the house bill links it to the consignee's shipment. Match them to your file before anything else.
  • 2 · Vessel, voyage and ETA. The estimated arrival at the port of discharge. It changes often, and every change moves the free time.
  • 3 · Port of discharge, cargo location and place of delivery. Where the container is discharged, where it will sit (terminal or container freight station) and, for inland moves, where it is going next.
  • 4 · FIRMS code (US). The code of the location where the cargo is held under customs control. The customs broker and the trucker need it.
  • 5 · Container, seal and equipment. Check the container number's check digit with the container check digit calculator; the trucker picks up by this number.
  • 6 · Charges due. Collect freight and destination charges that must be paid before the carrier or forwarder releases the cargo.
  • 7 · Free time and last free day. The last day the container can stay at the terminal without demurrage. After it, charges accrue per day per container.
  • 8 · Release requirements. What is still needed: an original bill of lading or a telex release, payment, and customs clearance. See telex release vs express release vs sea waybill.

Who sends the arrival notice, and when

There are usually two notices for the same container:

FromToBased onTypical timing
Ocean carrierThe consignee on the master bill, usually the destination forwarder or NVOCC agentMaster bill of ladingSeveral days before arrival, and again when the ETA changes
Destination forwarderThe consignee and notify party on the house billHouse bill of lading and the forwarder's own chargesOften about a week before arrival

The notice is a courtesy, not a guarantee. If it does not arrive, the free time still runs. Track the ETA yourself rather than waiting for the notice.

What to do when the arrival notice arrives

  • Match it to the shipment by bill of lading and container number, and compare it with the pre-alert.
  • Check the ETA and the place of delivery. A wrong final destination on the notice becomes a wrong delivery.
  • Pay the charges listed, or confirm who pays them.
  • Start the customs entry with your customs broker; for US imports, check that the ISF was filed.
  • Arrange the release: surrender the original bill of lading, or confirm the telex release or waybill.
  • Book the trucker with the container number, the cargo location and the FIRMS code, well before the last free day.
  • Watch the last free day. If the vessel is late, the date moves; if the container is not picked up in time, demurrage starts.

Common problems with arrival notices

  • The ETA changed and the notice did not. Carriers update schedules more often than they reissue notices.
  • Columns read out of order. On column layouts the label and its value can sit far apart, which is how a date ends up in the vessel field when someone retypes the notice.
  • Charges that do not match the quote. Destination charges on the notice are the ones that will be billed; query them before paying.
  • No last free day yet. Some notices are sent before the terminal confirms availability; the last free day follows in a later notice.

FAQ

Is an arrival notice a customs document?

No. It is a commercial notice from the carrier or forwarder. In the US, customs receives the cargo information through the carrier's and NVOCC's manifest filings and the importer's ISF and entry, not through the arrival notice.

What is the difference between an arrival notice and a delivery order?

The arrival notice tells the consignee that cargo is coming and what is needed to release it. The delivery order is issued after release and authorises a named trucker to pick up the container.

Do I need the arrival notice to clear customs?

Not as a filing, but customs brokers use it to see the arrival date, location and charges, and it often carries the details they need for the entry.