Detention

Detention is the carrier’s charge for keeping their container off the maritime circulation longer than the agreed free time. The clock starts when the container leaves the port (after demurrage stops) and runs until the empty container is returned to the carrier-designated empty depot. Free time is typically 4 to 7 days, depending on the carrier, route, and equipment type.

Typical detention rates

Rates vary by carrier and current market conditions. Confirm against the specific carrier’s tariff before relying on these numbers.

What triggers detention on chemical imports

1. Slow unloading at the consignee’s site. Drum-by-drum unloading of an 80-drum container can take a full day, longer if the warehouse loading dock is shared with other receivings. Plan a full-day window per chemical container.
2. Warehouse capacity bottleneck. The receiving warehouse has not made space for the inbound cargo. Container sits in the yard waiting to unload.
3. Documentation issue post-clearance. Cargo cleared customs but the consignee’s internal receiving process flagged a discrepancy (mismatched batch numbers, label issues) and the container is held for further inspection before unloading.
4. Empty return logistics. The container is unloaded but the carrier-designated empty depot is full, the trucker cannot drop the empty, and the empty sits at the consignee’s yard accruing detention until the depot accepts.

Combined demurrage and detention exposure

For a chemical container, the worst-case combined exposure is:

• 4 days demurrage at port (B/L delay + customs hold) at USD 100/day = USD 400
• Then 6 days detention at consignee’s site (unloading + empty return delay) at USD 100/day = USD 600
• Total: USD 1,000 per container in avoidable charges

We have seen worse on single containers, combined demurrage and detention reaching USD 2,500+ when multiple delays compound across a single import. The cost is preventable. Each link of the chain (port-out, transport, unload, empty return) needs to be planned with buffer.

How to avoid detention

Three discipline points at the destination:

1. Pre-arrival receiving plan. Confirm warehouse space and receiving labour 5 days before vessel ETA. Block out the receiving day on the warehouse calendar.
2. Trucker coordination on return. Book the trucker for both the outbound (port to warehouse) and the empty return (warehouse to depot). Some truckers handle both as a package; some require separate bookings.
3. Empty depot capacity check. Before unloading, confirm the carrier-designated empty depot has capacity to receive. If it is full, the trucker may need to wait or divert to an alternative depot, and the diversion may attract its own fees.

Detention is the carrier’s charge, not the terminal’s

This matters because the appeals and waivers process for detention runs through the carrier (or the carrier’s local agent), not through the port terminal. If the consignee can document that the delay was caused by the carrier’s own fault (vessel arrived late, equipment was damaged, carrier’s empty depot was full), the carrier may waive part of the charge. Apply for the waiver in writing within the carrier’s specified window, usually 30 days from invoice.

Practical sourcing notes

For our chemical shipments, the consignee’s receiving plan is part of the booking briefing. We provide the buyer with the vessel ETA, the equipment dimensions, the unloading time estimate, and the empty depot location 7 days before berth. The buyer’s warehouse manager and trucker coordinate from there. The buyers who consistently avoid detention are the ones who treat the receiving day like a scheduled appointment, not a flexible window.

Related terms

Demurrage is the port-side equivalent that runs before the container leaves the terminal. BOL timing affects when the container can leave the port and start the detention clock. FCL/LCL. LCL cargo never enters consignee’s site, so detention does not apply to LCL.