Arrival, then discharge, then release
Discharge sits in the middle of the import sequence. The vessel arrives and berths, cranes work through the stow, and each container comes off at its own time, which can be a day or more after berthing on a big ship. Release for pickup comes later still, once customs, the carrier and the terminal have no holds on the box. A vessel's arrival date is therefore not your container's discharge date.
At a hub or at the destination
The same milestone name appears at every port where the box leaves a ship. A discharge at the POD means the container has reached its destination port. A discharge anywhere else is usually a transshipment, and the next event to look for is the load onto the onward vessel. After a port omission, the carrier may discharge cargo at a different port and relay it.
Free time begins near discharge
Terminal free time often starts at or near discharge, although the exact starting point depends on the carrier's or terminal's tariff. The last free day follows from it, so discharge is the moment to confirm customs status, check for holds and book trucking. Waiting for an availability notice before planning can waste days of free time that are already running.
Example
TCNU8173559 is discharged at Felixstowe the morning after its vessel berths, and the importer's broker uses that time to plan customs clearance and the haulier booking.
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Questions
What does Discharge mean?
Discharge is the unloading of a container from a vessel at a port, either the port of discharge or a transshipment port. Carriers report it as a milestone that records the port, the terminal and the time the box came off the ship.
Does discharged mean my container is ready for pickup?
Not necessarily. After discharge the terminal still needs customs and carrier releases, and any terminal holds must clear. Check the terminal's availability status before booking a truck.
How long after vessel arrival is a container discharged?
It varies with the ship's size, the number of cranes working it and where the box sits in the stow. Some containers come off within hours of berthing, and others a day or two later.