The cut-off time is the hard deadline by which cargo must arrive at the terminal to make a specific vessel. Miss it, and your freight rolls to the next sailing — which in heavy equipment logistics can mean days or weeks of delay, storage fees, and a frustrated buyer waiting on a job site.
There are typically multiple cut-offs to track for a single shipment:
- Documentation cut-off: When all shipping instructions, bills of lading, and customs filings must be submitted to the carrier.
- VGM cut-off: The deadline for submitting the Verified Gross Mass — mandatory before a container can be loaded.
- Gate cut-off: The physical deadline for the truck to deliver the container or cargo to the terminal gate.
For OOG and breakbulk machinery, cut-offs are more rigid and less forgiving than for standard containers. Ports need extra time to plan crane lifts, position flat racks, and coordinate stevedoring for non-standard cargo.
If you’re shipping a 60-ton excavator on a flat rack, assume your effective cut-off is earlier than what’s published — confirm with the terminal directly.