Before the Port Pickup: A Seattle–Tacoma Import Checklist

Start with availability, not the vessel ETA

An estimated vessel arrival helps with planning, but it does not establish that a specific container can leave the terminal. Ask the forwarder or broker to confirm discharge, availability, customs status and any carrier or terminal holds. Record when each status was checked; an old screenshot is not a current release.

Give dispatch one complete shipment brief

Scattered email threads make it easier to miss a changed deadline. Put the move details together and name the person authorized to approve changes. Confirm the current last free day with the party controlling free time rather than calculating it from the vessel schedule.

• Container number, ocean carrier, bill of lading and pickup reference
• Terminal, current availability and confirmed last free day
• Container size, cargo weight and commodity
• Reefer, hazardous-material or overweight requirements, if applicable
• Delivery address, receiving contact and appointment window

Work backward from the receiving appointment

A terminal slot and a delivery slot must fit the same movement plan. Ask the receiver whether it can accept the container at the proposed time and whether the facility will unload it while the driver waits or accept a drop. Facility-performed unloading is separate from D&G’s transportation service. Do not assume that a dock address guarantees access for every truck and chassis combination.

Plan the empty before the loaded move

Assign someone to notify dispatch when the container is empty. Confirm the ocean carrier’s authorized return location and equipment acceptance before sending the truck. A dropped container is not a completed equipment cycle; the interchange receipt documents the return. If the receiving plan changes, discuss container staging and availability with dispatch rather than assuming yard space is reserved.

Keep a short exception log

Log the time, source and next action for each hold, appointment change or receiving delay. This creates a useful handoff between importer, broker, receiver and carrier without promising that every delay or charge can be avoided. Send the completed brief to dispatch for shipment-specific pricing and scheduling confirmation.