# Port Disbursement Account (PDA): What It Is > A port disbursement account (PDA) is the agent's estimate of port costs. See what goes in it and how a delayed port fee or congestion changes it. URL: https://vesselreach.si/blog/port-disbursement-account-pda-what-it-is | Published: 2026-11-03 | Guide | Topic: Segment playbooks (marine services) ## In short A port disbursement account (PDA) is a port agent's estimate of the costs a vessel will incur at a port, sent before the ship arrives so the owner or charterer can approve a cash advance. It is a forecast, not a final bill; the final disbursement account (FDA) reconciles the PDA against actual invoices after sailing. ## Key takeaways - A PDA groups port dues, pilotage, towage, agency fees, husbandry, supplies and a contingency line into one estimate approved before arrival. - Bunkers are often shown separately from the PDA because of their size and credit terms. - A delayed port fee moves a line between PDA versions, so the agent must state which assumption the estimate rests on. - Suppliers should state quote validity and which port charges a quote excludes, so a PDA revision does not reopen the whole order. - Congestion adds time-based lines such as waiting, extra pilotage and overtime, so the PDA should carry a stated contingency. ## At a glance - **What: What is a port disbursement account?** A port disbursement account is an estimate of the costs a vessel will incur at a port, prepared by the agent before arrival. Peer-reviewed voyage-cost work treats disbursement costs as one of three core voyage cost components. ([Bulletin of Kharkov National Automobile and Highway University (Kharkiv National Automobile and Highway University)](https://doi.org/10.30977/bul.2219-5548.2019.86.1.101)) - **Who: Who proposes the US port-fee extension?** The US Trade Representative proposed extending the suspension of port fees on Chinese-linked ships for two additional months, according to a Federal Register public inspection document posted in October 2026. ([Hellenic Shipping News](https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/ustr-proposes-extending-port-fee-suspension-on-china-linked-ships-to-january/)) - **Where: Where was a strike threat delayed in October 2026?** A potential strike at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach was pushed back after the Pacific Maritime Association and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union extended talks. ([gCaptain](https://gcaptain.com/strike-threat-at-los-angeles-long-beach-ports-delayed-as-union-and-employers-extend-talks/)) - **When: When would the US port-fee suspension expire under the proposal?** The proposal would move the expiry date from 9 November 2026 to 9 January 2027, extending the suspension of port fees on Chinese-linked ships by two months. ([Marine Insight](https://www.marineinsight.com/u-s-proposes-extending-port-fee-freeze-on-chinese-ships-to-january-2027/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=u-s-proposes-extending-port-fee-freeze-on-chinese-ships-to-january-2027)) - **Why: Why do port delays strain container services?** Port delays remained a strain on services even as China-India container rates eased in late October 2026, according to The Loadstar, because delays affect schedule reliability and operating costs. ([The Loadstar](https://theloadstar.com/china-india-rates-ease-but-port-delays-still-a-strain-on-services/)) - **How: How does congestion governance work at a container port?** A 2021 study in IEEE Access modelled four congestion governance options for Shanghai port and explored their dynamic interactions, showing that congestion control relies on a mix of measures rather than a single fix. ([IEEE Access](https://doi.org/10.1109/access.2021.3049967)) A proforma disbursement account (PDA) is a port agent's estimate of the costs a vessel will incur at a port, sent before the ship arrives so the owner or charterer can approve a cash advance. It is a forecast, not a final bill: the final disbursement account (FDA) reconciles the PDA against actual invoices after sailing. For ship chandlers, bunker suppliers, port agents and repair yards, the PDA matters because it sets the budget and timing for every service ordered at that port call. When a port fee is delayed or a berth window slips, the estimate changes, and so does the order of work. ## What goes into a port disbursement account A PDA groups every expected port cost into a single document, usually by category: port dues, pilotage, towage, agency fees, and the services the ship will order while alongside. - **Port and statutory charges:** tonnage or light dues, conservancy, pilotage, towage and mooring, usually calculated on the vessel's GT (gross tonnage, the internal volume used for port charges). - **Agency and husbandry:** agency fee, communications, cash to master, crew changes and transport. Husbandry covers the routine services a ship needs while in port, such as crew, victualling and minor repairs. - **Supplies and services:** fresh water, provisions, spare parts delivery, garbage removal, and any repairs or dry-docking (taking the ship out of the water for hull and machinery work) planned at that port. - **Bunkers:** when fuel is stemmed at the port, the bunker stem is often shown separately from the port disbursement account because of its size and credit terms. - **Contingency:** a reserve for delays, overtime or extra attendance. Peer-reviewed work on voyage economics treats disbursement costs as one of three core voyage cost components, alongside fixed operating costs and bunker costs. A 2019 paper in the Bulletin of Kharkov National Automobile and Highway University models voyage costs this way and links them to vessel details such as fuel consumption and NRT (net register tonnage, the tonnage basis used for some port and canal charges) ([Bulletin of Kharkov National Automobile and Highway University](https://doi.org/10.30977/bul.2219-5548.2019.86.1.101)). ## Why a delayed port fee changes the PDA A port fee that is postponed, extended or imposed late changes the cost base the agent estimated, so the PDA has to be reworked before the cash advance is fixed. In October 2026 the US Trade Representative proposed extending the suspension of port fees on China-linked ships for two more months, moving the expiry date from 9 November 2026 to 9 January 2027 ([Marine Insight](https://www.marineinsight.com/u-s-proposes-extending-port-fee-freeze-on-chinese-ships-to-january-2027/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=u-s-proposes-extending-port-fee-freeze-on-chinese-ships-to-january-2027)). [gCaptain](https://gcaptain.com/ustr-proposes-extending-china-ship-port-fee-suspension-through-january-2027/) reported the same proposal on 23 October 2026, and [The Maritime Executive](https://maritime-executive.com/article/port-fees-for-chinese-built-ships-and-shipping-to-be-delayed-by-ustr) described it as a delay to fees for Chinese-built ships and shipping. The operational effect for a port agent is a line that moves between PDA versions. A vessel that was quoted without the fee may now need a reserve for it in January, or a note that the estimate excludes it. Either way, the agent has to tell the owner which assumption the PDA rests on. ## What a delayed port fee does to suppliers A delayed fee does not remove the cost from the port call. It moves the decision point, and that changes how chandlers, bunker suppliers and repair yards should quote. 1. **Quote validity:** state how long a price holds and which port charges it excludes, so a PDA revision does not reopen the whole order. 2. **Cash advance timing:** if the owner is waiting for a revised PDA approval, the agent's cash to master and supplier payments can slip. Ask the agent which PDA version is approved. 3. **Order sequencing:** services that depend on a berth window should be booked after the revised PDA is agreed, not before. ## Congestion and delays: the other PDA variable Congestion changes the PDA through time, not just money: waiting time, extra pilotage, overtime and re-booked services all add lines. Port delays remained a strain on services even as China-India container rates eased in late October 2026, according to [The Loadstar](https://theloadstar.com/china-india-rates-ease-but-port-delays-still-a-strain-on-services/). On the US West Coast, a potential strike at Los Angeles and Long Beach was pushed back after the Pacific Maritime Association and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union extended talks, [gCaptain](https://gcaptain.com/strike-threat-at-los-angeles-long-beach-ports-delayed-as-union-and-employers-extend-talks/) reported on 30 October 2026. For an agent, an extended labour talks window is a reason to keep the PDA contingency line visible rather than zeroing it. A 2021 study in IEEE Access on container port congestion in Shanghai set out governance options and showed how congestion control measures interact in a dynamic system ([IEEE Access](https://doi.org/10.1109/access.2021.3049967)). The practical read for a port agent is that congestion is managed with a mix of measures, so the PDA should carry a stated contingency rather than a single assumed delay. ## PDA versus FDA: what suppliers should check The PDA is the approved estimate; the FDA is the reconciled final account after the port call. Suppliers rarely see either document, but the agent's PDA drives what gets ordered and when. StageWhat it isWhat it means for a supplier PDAEstimate of port costs, sent before arrivalSets the budget and the services the agent will approve RevisionUpdated PDA after a fee change or delayReopens timing and scope of orders FDAFinal account after sailingShows what was actually spent; useful for future quotes For a wider view of the agent's role in the port call, see [what port agents do at a port call](https://vesselreach.si/blog/what-do-port-agents-do-at-a-port-call) and the [VesselReach port-agent playbook](https://vesselreach.si/solutions/port-agents). ## How VesselReach helps PDA revisions start with a vessel's ETA and berth window, so the earlier a supplier sees the port call, the earlier it can align a quote with the approved estimate. - **Vessel intelligence:** VesselReach shows vessels near your selected ports and scheduled arrivals, which means you can time a quote to the PDA approval rather than after the ship berths. - **Decision-maker discovery:** VesselReach finds the port agent, operations and procurement roles behind each vessel, which means your revised quote reaches the person handling the PDA. - **Multichannel outreach and follow-ups:** VesselReach stages email, WhatsApp and phone contact and follows up automatically, which means a delayed port fee does not leave your quote unanswered. Book a VesselReach demo to see how vessel arrivals at your ports map to the agents and owners who approve port disbursement accounts. ## Frequently asked questions ### What is the difference between a PDA and an FDA in shipping? A PDA is the port agent's estimate of port costs, sent before the vessel arrives so the owner can approve a cash advance. The FDA is the final disbursement account, reconciled against actual invoices after sailing. Suppliers usually see neither document, but the PDA shapes what the agent orders. ### How does a delayed port fee change a port disbursement account? A delayed or extended port fee changes the cost base the agent estimated, so the PDA must be revised before the cash advance is fixed. The agent then tells the owner which assumption the estimate rests on, and suppliers may need to re-quote or extend quote validity. ([Marine Insight](https://www.marineinsight.com/u-s-proposes-extending-port-fee-freeze-on-chinese-ships-to-january-2027/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=u-s-proposes-extending-port-fee-freeze-on-chinese-ships-to-january-2027)) ### Does port congestion affect the proforma disbursement account? Yes. Congestion adds waiting time, extra pilotage, overtime and re-booked services to the estimate. Port delays remained a strain on services even as China-India rates eased in late October 2026, according to The Loadstar, so agents should keep a visible contingency line in the PDA. ([The Loadstar](https://theloadstar.com/china-india-rates-ease-but-port-delays-still-a-strain-on-services/)) ### What should a ship chandler check before quoting against a port call? Check which PDA version the agent has approved, whether the quote excludes port fees, and how long the price holds. If a port fee is under review, state the exclusion clearly so a PDA revision does not reopen the whole order. ### How can maritime suppliers find out about port calls before the PDA is finalised? Track vessel arrivals and expected ETAs at your target ports. VesselReach shows vessels near your ports and scheduled arrivals, identifies the company and decision-makers behind each vessel, and stages outreach so a quote can reach the agent before the PDA is approved. ## Sources 1. [Improving the Method of Substantiating the Efficiency of a Vessel's Voyage](https://doi.org/10.30977/bul.2219-5548.2019.86.1.101), Bulletin of Kharkov National Automobile and Highway University (Kharkiv National Automobile and Highway University), 2019-12-21 2. [System Dynamics Analysis for the Governance Measures Against Container Port Congestion](https://doi.org/10.1109/access.2021.3049967), IEEE Access, 2021-01-01 3. [China-India rates ease but port delays still a strain on services](https://theloadstar.com/china-india-rates-ease-but-port-delays-still-a-strain-on-services/), The Loadstar, 2026-10-26 4. [USTR proposes extending port fee suspension on China-linked ships to January](https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/ustr-proposes-extending-port-fee-suspension-on-china-linked-ships-to-january/), Hellenic Shipping News, 2026-10-26 5. [U.S. Proposes Extending Port Fee Freeze On Chinese Ships To January 2027](https://www.marineinsight.com/u-s-proposes-extending-port-fee-freeze-on-chinese-ships-to-january-2027/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=u-s-proposes-extending-port-fee-freeze-on-chinese-ships-to-january-2027), Marine Insight, 2026-10-27 6. [USTR Proposes Extending China Ship Port Fee Suspension Through January 2027](https://gcaptain.com/ustr-proposes-extending-china-ship-port-fee-suspension-through-january-2027/), gCaptain, 2026-10-23 7. [Strike Threat at Los Angeles, Long Beach Ports Delayed as Union and Employers Extend Talks](https://gcaptain.com/strike-threat-at-los-angeles-long-beach-ports-delayed-as-union-and-employers-extend-talks/), gCaptain, 2026-10-30 8. [Port Fees for Chinese-Built Ships and Shipping to be Delayed by USTR](https://maritime-executive.com/article/port-fees-for-chinese-built-ships-and-shipping-to-be-delayed-by-ustr), The Maritime Executive, 2026-10-26 ## More on this topic A port disbursement account is the agent's estimate of what a ship will pay at a port, sent before arrival so the owner can approve a cash advance. It covers port dues, pilotage, towage, agency fees, husbandry and contingency. When a port fee is delayed or congestion extends the stay, the estimate changes and the agent revises the port disbursement account. Suppliers should check which version is approved and state what their quote excludes. A port disbursement account is a forecast, not a bill. The port agent sends it before the ship arrives so the owner or charterer can approve a cash advance, and the final disbursement account reconciles it against real invoices after sailing. The most useful point for suppliers is that a delayed port fee or a slipped berth window changes the estimate, so always ask which version of the account has been approved before you commit to a quote. --- VesselReach, built by CatalystIQ. CatalystIQ Data Classification and Analysis Services, Al Qusais, Dubai, P.O. Box 129882, United Arab Emirates. info@catalystiq.ae, +971 58 599 7894. Book a demo: https://vesselreach.si/#demo. Pricing: contact us for a quote (https://vesselreach.si/pricing).