Foreign-trade Glossary + Calculators
Charges
Detention
A charge paid to the carrier when a container, after leaving the terminal, is kept beyond the allowed free time before the empty is returned.
Detention is a per-day charge levied by the carrier when a container, after being taken out of the terminal and used for loading/unloading, is kept beyond the free time allowed and the empty has not been returned to the nominated depot. It covers the time the box is held outside the terminal.
- How it is charged: once free time expires it accrues per container per day on an escalating scale, with rates depending on equipment type (20'/40'/special) and port.
- Difference from demurrage: detention counts the over-stay while the box is used outside the terminal (late empty return), whereas demurrage counts the over-stay inside the terminal yard (late pickup).
- Watch-out: slow unloading by the importer, inland transport or warehouse turnaround delays cause detention; it can also arise on the export side (poor trucking arrangements, picking up an empty then returning it late). The contract should set the free days and the party responsible for over-stay.
FAQ
- Are detention and demurrage the same charge?
- No. Detention = the box is kept too long after leaving the terminal and the empty is returned late; demurrage = the box is still inside the terminal and not picked up in time. Both can occur on the same shipment and are jointly called DEM & DET, but they apply at different stages.
- Can exporters also be charged detention?
- Yes. After picking up an empty (or trailer) at origin, if you delay loading and returning the full container to the port beyond the free time, detention still accrues. Plan the factory loading and gate-in timing and leave buffer before the cut-off.
Sources: https://www.maersk.com/local-information · https://www.cma-cgm.com/