POL and POD (Port of Loading and Port of Discharge)
The ports where cargo is loaded onto the main vessel and unloaded from it, as shown on bookings, quotes and the bill of lading.
TL;DR: POL is the port where your goods are loaded onto the ship, and POD is the port where they are unloaded. Both appear on the booking, the freight quote and the bill of lading.
In a shipment from China, the POL might be Nansha, Shenzhen Yantian, Shekou or Hong Kong. The POD is the port in the destination country, such as Los Angeles, Rotterdam or Jebel Ali. Freight rates are quoted port to port, so the POL and POD must be clear before you compare offers.
Two related fields often appear alongside them. Place of receipt is where the carrier first takes charge of the cargo, which may be an inland point or depot before the POL. Final destination, or place of delivery, is where the carrier’s responsibility ends, which may be an inland city beyond the POD. If a shipment is transshipped at a hub port, that hub is not the POD. It is only a stop along the way.
The POL also links to Incoterms. A quote of FOB Nansha means the seller delivers onto the vessel at Nansha, while CIF Rotterdam names the POD up to which the seller pays freight.
Check that the POL and POD on the draft bill of lading match your contract and letter of credit if you use one. See Bill of Lading and Transshipment.