GlossaryEN1 min readUpdated: Jun 23, 2026

Actual Arrival Time

When a vessel docks at 14:35, that precise moment is the actual arrival time—the recorded fact against which all prior estimates are measured.

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Last updated: 23 June 2026Published: 19 June 2025

Source: https://www.freightos.com/freight-terms/actual-arrival-time/

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Definition & Explanation

When a vessel docks at 14:35, that precise moment is the actual arrival time—the recorded fact against which all prior estimates are measured. It is captured at the moment of physical arrival and contrasts with the ETA (Estimated Time of Arrival), a forecast made before the journey begins. In freight and customs operations, it serves as the reference point for calculating deadlines, assessing demurrage claims, and updating shipment tracking for sea and air cargo. Shippers and forwarders rely on it to validate buffer schedules and document delays for counterparties. In transport documents and digital systems, the same value is referred to by the standardised abbreviation ATA (Actual Time of Arrival)—see separate entry.

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Actual Arrival Time

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