# Why do bills of lading on the same vessel show different ATA dates?

**URL:** <https://community.dockflow.com/t/why-do-bills-of-lading-on-the-same-vessel-show-different-ata-dates/114>\
**Category:** How-to Q&A\
**Tags:** area-milestones-events\
**Created:** [November 6, 2026, 2:52pm UTC](https://community.dockflow.com/t/why-do-bills-of-lading-on-the-same-vessel-show-different-ata-dates/114 "2026-11-06T14:52:53Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![dockflow](https://community.dockflow.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/a9a28c/32.png) [@dockflow](https://community.dockflow.com/u/dockflow)\
**Post date:** [November 6, 2026, 2:52pm UTC](https://community.dockflow.com/t/why-do-bills-of-lading-on-the-same-vessel-show-different-ata-dates/114/1 "2026-11-06T14:52:53Z")

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Different ATA dates for bills of lading on one vessel can all be correct. Dates that disagree are not automatically wrong. The dates may not describe the same event.

ATA is the actual time of arrival, once the event is confirmed. At the port of discharge, vessel arrival and container discharge are two separate events, typically a day apart. Vessel arrival is the ship arriving. Discharge is your container coming off the ship.

First match each date to the event it answers. For when the vessel gets in, read ETA at the port of discharge, or ATA once it has arrived. For when you can collect the container, read discharge, then gate out, not vessel arrival.

Also check the port. A date at a transhipment port is a different question from a date at the final port of discharge. If none of the cases explains the difference, the value is wrong rather than different.

**Example**  
One vessel reaches port. One bill shows the ship’s arrival as its ATA. Another bill shows a later date because its container is discharged after the ship arrives. Both dates are correct. They answer vessel arrival and container discharge, not two different vessel arrivals.