Current-fact control: Operational status, authority requirements, carrier acceptance, facility availability and local timing remain assignment-specific. Confirm the responsible party’s current status for the actual vessel, shipment, unit or facility before operational reliance.
Chattogram Container Status Reporting What PCS and TOS Do, and Do Not Confirm
A practical guide to PCS/TOS container status, import and export milestones, D/O and Customs dependencies, gate-out, empty return, evidence, reporting and open-item close-out.
Status sources
PCS and TOS Are Status Inputs, Not the Whole Release File
PCS means Port Community System: a shared digital environment through which authorised parties may exchange or view selected port, shipping and cargo information. TOS means Terminal Operating System: the terminal’s operating system for vessel, yard, gate and equipment activity.
Public and authenticated views can show different information. A displayed status may also be delayed, limited to one party’s record or require reconciliation with the carrier, Customs/C&F, terminal or depot. CPA does not own the port or terminal systems and does not present a portal status as independent proof of full release. Terminal, depot and feeder cut-offs change; obtain a current local position rather than a generic average.
Import status
Import Sequence: Discharge to Empty-Return Close-Out
Arrived / berthed: vessel and berth status from the responsible port, carrier or vessel-call record. Discharged: terminal or vessel-operation record confirms the unit left the vessel. D/O ready or released: carrier record confirms its own document/release milestone. Customs released: importer/C&F and Customs record confirms the statutory goods-release position. Delivery ready: carrier, Customs, terminal and gate dependencies are reconciled. Gated out / received: gate record, EIR or receiving evidence confirms physical delivery status. Empty return accepted: carrier/depot instruction and receiving EIR or depot receipt close the equipment movement.
A discharged or Customs-released unit may still have another dependency. The report should state the pending party and next action rather than use a single “cleared” label.
Export status
Export Sequence: Booking to Actual Sailing
Booking accepted: carrier confirms route, space and stated cut-offs. Equipment released/allocated: responsible carrier/depot status is supplied. Gated in: terminal or depot record confirms facility entry. Documentation ready: SI, VGM, DG and manifest dependencies are followed by their responsible parties. Loaded: carrier/terminal record confirms actual unit loading. Sailed / connected: carrier, vessel or otherwise confirmed record supplies actual sailing and onward connection status.
Evidence hierarchy
Record Source, Timestamp, Reference and Time Basis
A useful status line contains four controls:
- Source: PCS/TOS, carrier, Customs/C&F, terminal, depot, vessel or receiving record.
- Timestamp: when the source was checked or the status was reported.
- Reference: booking, B/L, unit, gate/EIR, D/O, Bill of Entry or controlled file reference.
- Time basis: Bangladesh local time, UTC, carrier/terminal system time or another stated basis.
Where sources disagree, CPA reports the conflict, identifies the responsible party and follows the next confirmation. It does not create a substitute operational record.
Responsibility route
Who Owns the Next Action
Principal return
What CPA Reports and Closes
Agree the report recipients and frequency. For each affected unit, CPA returns current position, source and timestamp, pending party, next action, deadline/time basis, free-time or stated cost exposure, approval required and available evidence. Missing or aged statuses are escalated to the responsible party.
At close-out, the file should identify gate-out or loading/sailing evidence, empty-return acceptance/EIR where applicable, equipment inventory position, invoice/SOA support, approved-cost status and remaining open items.
Send a Container Status or Exception Brief
Send the appointing company, booking/HBL/MBL or unit reference, Bangladesh route, current status source and timestamp, immediate deadline, report recipients, time basis, payer/paymaster and approval contact.