The fire-damaged Maersk Honam is to be towed to Jebel Ali in the UAE.
Maersk Line's 2M partner MSC said the Danish owner had informed it that cargo will be offloaded in the port of refuge near Dubai.
But no estimated time of arrival has been given.
It could take two weeks for the vessel to reach the UAE.
The 15,262-ship (built 2017) was devastated by a blaze 340 miles off India's Lakshadweep Islands on 6 March.
"Based on a limited amount of information to hand, MSC reasonably expects that a substantial proportion of the cargo located after, behind the ship's accommodation area should be in sound condition," MSC said.
"Unfortunately, we must assume, based on the details to date, that most containers located in front of the accommodation area are damaged by fire, heat or the water used to fight the fire."
Clarification will only come once boxes have been unloaded and inspected, it added.
Maersk Line said on Thursday the fire remains under control and salvage work continues, led by Smit and Ardent.
"The focus is on completing plans to bring Maersk Honam alongside in a suitable port and discharge the cargo," it added.
"Maersk Honam will most likely be towed to Jebel Ali, Dubai; however, it will probably take a few weeks and further investigations before we will be able to bring the vessel alongside."
The ports of Mumbai and Salalah were also possibilities for the vessel, TradeWinds has previously reported.
Fire restricted
The unique design of Maersk Honam with the bridge and accommodation unit placed forward appears to have provided a barrier and restricted the fire to the forward holds numbers one, two and three and prevented it from spreading to the six aft holds.
That would suggest in the best case scenario only around one third of the 12,416-teu containers onboard will have been damaged by the blaze, although there is the risk of smoke damage to deck cargo in the aft section.
Estimates of a cargo value of around $50,000 per teu would suggest cargo claims in the region of $200m if the damage is restricted to the forward cargo holds.
Richards Hogg Lindley has been appointed as average adjusters and general average has been declared.
The hull is insured for around $160m although Maersk will take assurance from similar box ship fires that it can avoid Maersk Honam becoming a constructive total loss.
