Home / Demurrage vs detention: what you pay and when
Demurrage vs detention: what you pay and when
Both are container-overrun charges, but they start at different moments: demurrage inside the terminal after free time, detention once the box leaves the port and is not returned.
| Demurrage | Detention | |
|---|---|---|
| Where | Inside terminal / port | Outside terminal (at consignee) |
| Starts | After import free time | When container leaves port |
| Ends | When container leaves | When empty returned |
| Typical free time | 3–7 days | 5–10 days |
Free time is set by the carrier and differs by port and contract — confirm it at booking, not after arrival.