Read the booking confirmation properly, it takes two minutes

The booking confirmation arrives, someone glances at the vessel name, and it goes in the file. Two minutes here saves most of the arguments that come later.

The six fields

1. Free time at destination. Days granted, and whether calendar or working. This is the single most expensive field on the document.
2. Discharge port code. Read the UN/LOCODE, not the city name.
3. Equipment type. A high cube where you planned a standard changes your delivery slot.
4. Vessel and voyage. Note it, so you can check the schedule independently later.
5. Cut off times. Documentation cut off is usually earlier than cargo cut off, and missing it rolls the container.
6. Named party for release. Who the carrier will release to at destination.

Why now and not later

Everything on this list becomes harder to change with each passing day, and free time becomes effectively impossible once charges have started accruing. At booking you are a customer being served. After the invoice you are asking for a favour.

What to ask for

If free time looks short for your lane, ask for more before you accept, and get the answer on the confirmation rather than in an email from a sales contact. Invoicing systems read the booking, not the correspondence.