Free time, Demurrage & Detention

Import Demurrage Hamburg

  • Paid to: The carrier
  • Free time: Combined tariff of terminal storage and carriers container demurrage. Counting begins on the first calendar day following complete discharge of the vessel
  • Terms: Calendar days
EquipmentIMOFree daysDay 1–7Day 8+
20 ft. Dry van & TanksNON HAZ3 calendar days70 EUR130 EUR
40 ft. Dry cargo, HCNON HAZ3 calendar days115 EUR180 EUR
20 ft. Open top, Flat rackNON HAZ3 calendar days90 EUR155 EUR
40 ft. Open top, Flat rackNON HAZ3 calendar days140 EUR205 EUR
ReeferNON HAZ2 calendar days110 EUR150 EUR
EquipmentIMOFree daysDay 1–6Day 7+
20 ft. Dry van & TanksHAZ, EXCL CLASS 11 calendar day95 EUR155 EUR
40 ft. Dry cargo, HCHAZ, EXCL CLASS 11 calendar day140 EUR205 EUR
EquipmentIMOFree daysDay 1+
20 ft. Dry van & TanksHAZ, CLASS 10 calendar days500 EUR
40 ft. Dry cargo, HCHAZ, CLASS 10 calendar days500 EUR

Import Detention Hamburg

  • Paid to: The carrier
  • Free time: Counting begins once the equipment is turned over to the custody of the shipper (excluding day of interchange)
  • Terms: Business days. Once free time expires, detention is charged on calendar days
EquipmentModeFree daysDay 1–3Day 4–10Day 11+
Dry cargo, High cube, Open top, FlatracksTruck2 business days25 EUR50 EUR65 EUR
Dry cargo, High cube, Open top, FlatracksOther6 business days25 EUR50 EUR65 EUR
ReeferTruck2 business days55 EUR110 EUR125 EUR
ReeferOther modes6 business days55 EUR110 EUR125 EUR

Export Demurrage Hamburg

  • Paid to: The carrier
  • Free time: Combined tariff of terminal storage and carriers container demurrage. Specified number of free days prior vessel ETA. Counting begins once received at the terminal. Demurrage charges will commence on the day after expiration of free time and count until the day of loading aboard a vessel
  • Terms: Calendar days
EquipmentFree daysDay 1–2Day 3-10Day 11+
20 ft. Dry cargo, Open top, Flatracks, Tanks7 calendar days75 EUR120 EUR150 EUR
40 ft. Dry cargo, High cube, Open top, Flatracks, Tanks7 calendar days130 EUR220 EUR260 EUR
EquipmentFree daysDay 1–3Day 4-5Day 6-10Day 11+
20 ft. HAZ (all equipment types)4 calendar days50 EUR75 EUR120 EUR150 EUR
40′ HAZ (all equipment types)4 calendar days90 EUR130 EUR220 EUR260 EUR
Reefer and temp controlled tanks4 calendar days240 EUR330 EUR410 EUR510 EUR

Export Detention Hamburg

  • Paid to: The carrier
  • Free time: Counting begins once the equipment is turned over to the custody of the shipper
  • Terms: Business days. Once free time expires, detention is charged on calendar days
EquipmentFree daysDay 1–3Day 4+
Dry cargo, High cube, Open top, Flatracks6 business days30 EUR60 EUR
Reefer4 business days85 EUR110 EUR

Demurrage & Detention Charges – Effective May 28, 2024

The Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) has issued a new rule that prescribes changes in regulations for how common carriers and marine terminal operators (MTOs) should bill demurrage and detention charges.

According to the new rule, demurrage or detention invoices can only be issued to:

  1. The person for whose account the billing party provided ocean transportation or storage of cargo and who contracted with the billing party for the ocean transportation or storage of cargo. or
  2. The consignee, defined as “the person to whom final delivery of the cargo is to be made

The regulation also stipulates that vessel-operating-common carriers (VOCCs) and MTOs must issue detention and demurrage invoices within 30 calendar days from when charges were last incurred.

The rule lays out some features to facilitate parties to resolve the issue and further allows parties billed with at least 30 calendar days to make fee mitigation, refund, or waiver requests. Complete rule is posted on the FMC website.

Free time & Demurrage prior to Loading (rule 132)

  • EASTBOUND CARGO: Carrier will accept containers at the port of load on day of cut off and 4 working days prior. Temperature Controlled containers will be accepted day of cut off and day prior except: Baltimore will be accepted day of cut off and 2 working days prior. Halifax will be accepted day of cut off and 4 working days prior.
  • WESTBOUND CARGO: Carrier will accept containers at the port of load up to 5 working days prior to scheduled ETA, except for Peel Port Liverpool which allows up to 11 calendar days.. Temperature Controlled cargo will have 2 working days, except Liverpool and Antwerp which will have 3 working days.

If shipper delivers cargo into the terminal, it must sail on the next available vessel. If it does not load, demurrage charges as per below, will apply.

The shipment will be subject to a daily demurrage charge if at any time prior to loading aboard Carrier’s vessel:

  • Shipper instructs Carrier not to load the shipment in next available vessel
  • Incomplete, missing, or poor documentation is received from the shipper or his agent, or any other error attributable to the cargo interests prevents the cargo from loading on the first available vessel
  • Customs or other Governmental Agency holds or delays cargo from leaving the terminal on next available vessel

Alternatively, upon request of Shipper’s instructions, Carrier reserves the right to unload the cargo from the container and transfer it to public storage. All storage and transfer costs incidental to the removal of cargo from Carrier’s containers shall be at the risk and expense of the cargo.

Demurrage Charges

Demurrage charges will commence at 00:01 hours on the first day after expiration of free time, and thereafter will continue until the day the container is loaded aboard a vessel or the day the container is emptied of its contents or is returned to the custody of the Shipper. In the event the loading vessel is delayed, demurrage will terminate on the day the vessel was originally scheduled for loading.

Demurrage & Detention Disputes

When registering a dispute, please include the shipment number, container number, and a detailed description of the dispute including the applicable service contract number if pertinent to the claim.

For disputes involving a change of payor, written confirmation from the party who will pay is needed. Disputes must be submitted to ACL within 30 days of the invoice date and ACL will respond to the request within 30 days.

Demurrage Disputes can be raised by emailing ACL Customer Service:

Detention Disputes can be raised by emailing ACL Collections: