A booking confirmation is a document or electronic notice confirming that space has been reserved for a shipment with a carrier, vessel, aircraft, truck, or other transport service. In freight forwarding and ocean shipping, it usually includes the booking number, carrier, vessel or voyage, origin, destination, cargo details, container quantity, cutoff dates, sailing date, and equipment instructions. A booking confirmation helps shippers, forwarders, truckers, and warehouses coordinate pickup, loading, documentation, and export deadlines. Some carriers and forwarders also charge a booking fee for reserving the space, usually listed separately from the main freight rate.
What It Includes
- Booking reference number
- Carrier, vessel, and voyage number
- Port of loading and port of discharge
- Container type and size
- CFS cut-off date and vessel departure date
- Special handling notes
Verify booking details against purchase orders and production schedules before finalizing.
Related terms: Blank Sailing, Bill of Lading (BOL), FCL, LCL.
