Freight booking rolled: what should you do?
Confirm where the cargo is and whether it actually loaded. Obtain the carrier's revised booking, check remaining cut-offs and rebuild the schedule through cargo release and warehouse receipt. Update customers with conditional dates, not the vessel arrival estimate alone. Ask Cambridge China Bridge to coordinate checks with its staff in China.
Confirm what happened and where the cargo is
A rolled booking means cargo has been moved to a later sailing. Ask the forwarder for the written rollover notice, the stated reason and the affected booking and cargo references. Distinguish cargo left behind from a vessel that departed late with your goods aboard.
Request dated evidence of the current location and custody: factory dispatch records, warehouse receipt or terminal gate-in confirmation, as applicable. For containerised cargo, match the container and seal references. For shared-container freight, confirm which packages were affected and whether consolidation must be rearranged. A gate-in record establishes terminal receipt, not loading aboard.
Get evidence of the replacement booking
Ask for the carrier-issued revised booking confirmation, or the carrier record supplied through your forwarder. Check the booking reference, vessel and voyage, loading and discharge ports, transhipment route, scheduled departure and arrival, and cargo allocation. If the booking reference changes, retain the connection to the original booking. Ask whether the replacement space is confirmed or still requested.
Obtain revised cargo, shipping instruction and document cut-offs, plus any applicable weight-submission deadline. Confirm which submissions remain accepted and which need updating. After loading, request the carrier's loading status and check the transport document against the actual shipment. Use our guide to bills of lading and cargo release for the separate release arrangements.
Rebuild the milestones through warehouse receipt
Replace the old schedule with a dated milestone record. For each event, show the previous plan, revised estimate, confirmed actual event, evidence source, responsible contact and next update trigger. Keep departure, transhipment, UK arrival, cargo availability, clearance, release, haulage and warehouse receipt separate. Our shipping lead-time guide explains the wider planning chain.
Send the revised transport details to the customs agent and whoever files the entry summary declaration. HMRC guidance requires changes or mistakes in that declaration to be amended before the goods reach their destination. Ask the filer to confirm whether an amendment is needed and provide evidence when completed; ask the customs agent separately whether the import declaration needs updating.
Approve recovery costs and alternatives
Ask for an itemised statement of additional storage, handling, booking changes and inland transport costs, including who is being asked to pay and the basis for each charge. Request written confirmation of any agreed waiver. Use our demurrage, detention and storage guide to check the charge categories.
Compare waiting for the replacement sailing with an alternative service or splitting urgent goods into a separate shipment. Check physical access to the cargo, handling implications, document changes, confirmed space and the revised total cost before approving a switch. Keep the inspection decision intact and record who can authorise extra spending.
Reset downstream delivery commitments
Tell affected customers, warehouse staff, hauliers and installation teams what is confirmed, what remains estimated and what event will trigger the next update. Explain whether their existing delivery slot can still be met. Agree revised dates or conditional windows in writing, and check any cancellation or rebooking costs before moving appointments.
Do not turn a port arrival estimate into a firm delivery promise. Confirm cargo availability, clearance and release before finalising collection, then secure the receiving slot and unloading arrangements. Use our container delivery checklist. Keep the rollover open until warehouse receipt and the affected customer commitments have been reconciled.
Frequently asked questions
Does a rolled booking mean my goods are still at the factory?
No. They may be at the factory, a consolidation warehouse or the terminal. Ask for dated custody evidence matched to your cargo references.
What proof should I ask for after a rollover?
Request the rollover notice, current cargo-location evidence and carrier-issued revised booking. After loading, obtain loading confirmation and check the transport document.
Can I promise delivery using the new vessel arrival date?
Treat it as an estimate. Delivery also depends on cargo availability, clearance, release, haulage and a receiving slot. Give customers a conditional window until these are confirmed.
Who pays the extra costs when cargo is rolled?
Ask for each charge, its basis and the proposed payer. Check the booking and forwarding terms, request any waiver in writing and agree disputed costs before approving recovery spending.