Demurrage and Detention Fees (Demurrage & Detention)
Penalties charged for exceeding the free disposal time of containers at the terminal or at the recipient.
Demurrage and detention costs (Demurrage & Detention)
Demurrage (demurrage) and detention fees (detention) are penalties charged by shipping companies when containers are not removed from the terminal or returned within the stipulated time frame.
Demurrage (demurrage at the terminal)
Fees charged when the container remains at the port terminal beyond the free time granted after unloading from the ship. Rates increase gradually with delay.
Detention (container detention)
Fees charged when the empty container is not returned to the shipping company's depot within the stipulated time after removal from the terminal.
Free time
Free disposal time varies depending on port, shipping company and contract. It is generally 5 to 14 days for demurrage and 5 to 10 days for detention.
Costs
Rates can reach 50 to 200 EUR/day per container for the first days of delay, and increase to 300 EUR/day or more beyond certain thresholds. If blocked for several weeks, the invoice may exceed the value of the goods.
Common causes
Customs clearance delays (missing documents, physical inspection), recipient unavailability, commercial disputes, failure to pay duties.
Prevention
Anticipate customs clearance (transmission of documents before arrival), negotiate free time with the shipping company and optimize the logistics chain for rapid collection.