Key points
- Demurrage runs inside the terminal, detention runs outside it; both start only after free time ends.
- Port storage is billed by the terminal, not the line, and has its own free days.
- Free time commonly ranges from about 3 to 14 days and can often be extended if you ask at booking.
- As of November 2026, Gulf rerouting has changed discharge ports, empty-return depots and which D&D tariff applies.
- Most charges come from late documents, unpaid local charges, customs holds or slow empty returns.
Demurrage vs detention in one minute
- Charged by the shipping line
- For its container while it sits inside the terminal
- Import: runs from discharge until the full box leaves the port
- Export: runs from gate-in until the box is loaded on the vessel
- Typical cause: documents, payment or customs not ready
- Charged by the shipping line
- For its container while it is outside the terminal
- Import: runs from full gate-out until the empty is returned
- Export: runs from empty pickup until the full box gates in
- Typical cause: slow unloading or returning the empty late or to the wrong depot
- Charged by the terminal or port operator, not the line
- For the space the box occupies in the yard
- Runs from discharge until gate-out, after the port's own free days
- Can be billed on top of demurrage for the same days
- Paid before the terminal releases the container
| Charge | Who bills it | Where the box is | Clock starts | Clock stops |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Import demurrage | Shipping line | Inside the terminal, full | Day of discharge (after free time) | Full container gates out |
| Import detention | Shipping line | Outside, at your warehouse or on a truck | Full container gates out (after free time) | Empty returned to the designated depot |
| Port storage | Terminal / port | Terminal yard | Discharge (after the port's free days) | Container gates out |
| Export detention | Shipping line | Outside, at the factory or warehouse | Empty picked up at the depot | Full container gates in at the port |
| Export demurrage | Shipping line | Inside the terminal, full | Full container gates in | Container is loaded on the vessel |
| Combined D&D | Shipping line | Inside and outside | One combined free period | Empty returned (import) |
How free time works
Free time is the number of days the line lets you use its container without charge. It is set per container by carrier, port, contract and equipment, commonly about 3 to 14 days, and reefers and special equipment usually get less. Some lines give separate demurrage and detention periods, others one combined D&D period, so a box that leaves the port quickly may still have days left for unloading. The port's free storage days are set separately by the terminal. Ask for the free time in writing before you book, and ask whether extra days can be bought: extra free time bought at booking usually costs far less than daily charges later.
Daily charges and how they add up
After free time, the line charges a daily rate per container from its published tariff. Rates usually rise in tiers, and 40ft boxes, reefers and special equipment cost more than a 20ft dry box. Because demurrage, detention and port storage are billed by different parties and can overlap, one late document can trigger two or three charges for the same days. Enter the daily rate from your carrier's tariff below to see what a delay would cost.
Free time and daily charges differ by line, port and container type. Use the figures on your booking.
Why containers get stuck: the import timeline
- Arrival noticeSent 2–7 days before arrival, listing local charges to pay.
- Release documentsOriginal B/L surrendered, or telex release or sea waybill in place. A missing original is the most common reason boxes wait.
- Local charges and D/OPay local charges and the line issues the Delivery Order.
- Customs declarationYour broker files the declaration with invoice, packing list and certificate of origin; duty and VAT are paid.
- Inspection if selectedInspection or scanning adds time; this is where free time often runs out.
- Gate-out and deliveryA pre-booked truck collects the box. Demurrage stops; detention free time starts.
- UnloadingUnload promptly and note any damage on the delivery note.
- Empty returnReturn the empty to the depot on the release and keep the interchange receipt.
How to avoid demurrage and detention
Before the ship arrives
0/102026: rerouting, congestion and new empty-return depots
As of November 2026, the Strait of Hormuz has been effectively closed to normal container shipping since 28 February 2026, so carriers discharge UAE cargo at ports outside the strait, such as Khor Fakkan, Fujairah, Sohar, Salalah or Jeddah, and move it on by truck or feeder. This changes D&D in three ways. The clock starts at a port you may not have planned for, and truck queues of many hours have been reported at east-coast UAE ports. Empty returns moved: on 9 March 2026 Maersk stopped accepting import empties at their usual locations in the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, Dammam and Jubail in Saudi Arabia, and Duqm in Oman, naming Salalah, Sohar and Jeddah as return depots. And the D&D tariff of the return location applies, not that of the port you booked. The same carrier also charges daily storage per TEU on boxes held in transit beyond 14 days after discharge. Other lines have their own rules, so we check each booking.
Checking and disputing a D&D invoice
- Compare invoice dates with your records: discharge, gate-out and the date on the empty-return interchange receipt.
- Check the free time matches your quote, contract or any extension you bought.
- Ask whether the carrier caused the delay, for example by changing the discharge port or closing a depot.
- Check whether a temporary carrier measure applied, such as extended free time for cargo stuck by the 2026 Gulf disruption.
- Dispute in writing, quickly, quoting B/L and container numbers.
- US trades only: under the FMC rule in force since 28 May 2024, carriers must invoice within 30 days of the charge last being incurred, and the billed party has 30 days to dispute. Gulf ports follow the carrier's tariff and local rules.
Test yourself: demurrage, detention or storage?
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Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between demurrage and detention?
Demurrage is the line's charge for its full container staying inside the terminal after free time. Detention is its charge for keeping the container outside the terminal, for example at your warehouse, after free time. Port storage is a separate terminal charge.
When does demurrage start?
For imports, the demurrage clock starts on the day of discharge and charges begin once free time ends. It stops when the full container leaves the port.
How many free days do shipping lines give?
Commonly about 3 to 14 days per container, depending on the carrier, port, contract and equipment. Reefers and special equipment usually get less. Ask for it in writing with your quote.
Who pays demurrage, the buyer or the seller?
At the destination it is normally the consignee, because it is the party collecting the container. Under terms like DDP the seller may carry destination costs, but check the contract and the quote.
Can demurrage charges be waived?
Sometimes. If the delay was caused by the carrier, a port closure or a carrier-ordered change of discharge port, ask the line in writing with your dates and evidence. Waivers are at the carrier's discretion.
Where do I return empty containers in the UAE in 2026?
It depends on the carrier and changes often. Since March 2026 some lines have named depots in Oman and Saudi Arabia for Gulf imports. Always follow the depot on the release order; our team checks it for each shipment.
Sources
- Maersk – Strait of Hormuz: empty container return suspension (9 March 2026)
- Maersk – Strait of Hormuz: line detention solutions, Update 6 (3 June 2026)
- Tradlinx – Maersk's Gulf rerouting changes port of discharge, D&D and empty returns (14 Sep 2026)
- HFW – FMC's new demurrage and detention regulations effective May 2024
- Lloyd's List Intelligence – Strait of Hormuz Brief, 22 October 2026
General information checked on the date shown. Rules and rates change: our team confirms the details for your shipment.