ATD (Actual Time of Departure)

Actual Time of Departure (ATD) refers to the exact time when a vessel or aircraft actually leaves the port of loading or airport of departure. It is a key time node in international trade and logistics. It is usually recorded by the carrier, port, or airport authorities and shown on the bill of lading, air waybill, or departure report. ATD differs from Estimated Time of Departure (ETD): ETD is a planned time that may change due to weather, port congestion, mechanical failure, etc., while ATD is the actual, unalterable historical fact. Use cases include: calculating transit time, determining the deadline for document presentation under a letter of credit, judging whether late delivery has occurred, and calculating demurrage/despatch. Notes: ATD should be based on the carrier's official data, avoiding reliance on informal notices; under terms such as FOB and CIF, ATD affects risk transfer and cost allocation; if a letter of credit requires documents proving ATD (such as a departure certificate), document consistency must be ensured. Used together with ETA (Estimated Time of Arrival) and ATA (Actual Time of Arrival), it enables complete tracking of cargo movement.