GlossaryEN1 min readUpdated: Jun 22, 2026

Booking Closing

Booking closing is the hard deadline by which cargo space must be reserved and confirmed with the carrier.

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Last updated: 22 June 2026Published: 19 June 2025

Source: https://www.maersk.com/glossary/cut-off-time

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Logistics Concept

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Definition & Explanation

Booking closing is the hard deadline by which cargo space must be reserved and confirmed with the carrier. Once this cutoff passes, the shipment enters the operational planning phase and amendments to commodity details, weight, or routing are generally no longer accepted. In ocean freight, booking closing typically falls several days before the cargo cutoff—the last date for physical delivery to the terminal—which itself precedes vessel departure. The gap allows stowage planning, dangerous goods verification, and document processing to be completed in time. Missing the booking closing almost always results in the shipment being rolled to the next available sailing, with direct knock-on effects for delivery schedules.

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Booking Closing

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