Demurrage and detention tariffs

Demurrage and detention tariffs are the published carrier schedules that set the free time and the per-day charges for containers held beyond it. They state the free days for a full container on the terminal (demurrage) and the free days for keeping the equipment off-terminal (detention), then the escalating daily rate per box once free time lapses, often stepped so the charge rises the longer the box is held. In US trades these tariffs and their billing practices fall under the Federal Maritime Commission’s 2024 final rule, which requires invoices to issue within 30 days of the last charge and to identify the specific free-time and rate basis applied.