Discharge port and handover point
The port of discharge is where the container leaves the ship. The final place of delivery is where the carrier hands it over, and on an inland point intermodal or door move that can be hundreds of miles further on. An ETA at the port of discharge tells only part of the story, because rail dwell and rail transit sit in between. Plan trucks and warehouse labor to the ETA at the place of delivery.
Who books the inland leg
The party that arranges the inland leg largely decides what this field says. Under carrier haulage, the line books the rail or truck move and names the inland point or door as the place of delivery. Under merchant haulage, the consignee or its forwarder arranges pickup at the port, so the place of delivery usually matches the port of discharge. Where free time runs, where the box is released and where the empty goes back often follow from that choice, so confirm them on the arrival notice.
Milestones after the ship is unloaded
A shipment with an inland place of delivery is not finished at discharge. Expect more milestones: loaded on rail, rail departure, arrival at the ramp, then availability and gate out there. Those events depend on the carrier reporting them, and quiet stretches are common during rail transit. A box that sits at the port waiting for a train can build rail dwell that nobody notices if the team stops watching at discharge. When the carrier reports inland legs, CargoScope shows those milestones after discharge too.
Example
OOLU3811040 is discharged at Los Angeles, but its Bill of Lading names Chicago as the place of delivery, so the carrier's rail move and the Chicago ramp milestones are still part of the shipment.
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Questions
What does Final Place of Delivery mean?
The final place of delivery is the point named on the Bill of Lading where the carrier's or NVOCC's responsibility for the cargo ends. It may be the port of discharge or a later inland point such as a rail ramp or the consignee's door.
Is the final place of delivery the consignee's address?
Only on a door delivery arranged by the carrier. Otherwise it is the port or inland terminal where the carrier hands over the container, and the consignee arranges the final truck move.
What if the place of delivery on the Bill of Lading is wrong?
The carrier may route the container to the wrong inland point or apply the wrong release terms. Ask for a correction before the vessel arrives, since changes after discharge are harder to make.