Demurrage and detention are the most preventable costs in container shipping — and among the most common. They're not freight charges; they're clock charges, and the clocks start whether or not anyone told you.
Three different clocks
Charge
What it's for
Clock runs while…
Demurrage
Container space inside the terminal
Container sits in the terminal past its free days
Detention
Use of the carrier's container
Container is out with you and not yet returned empty
Storage
Terminal or warehouse space
Charged by the facility on its own tariff
Free time is short — commonly only a few working days at the terminal and a handful of days for equipment return, varying by carrier, terminal, and contract. Daily rates escalate in tiers: the second week costs far more per day than the first.
Why it happens at Vancouver specifically
Vancouver moved a record 3.8 million TEUs in 2025 through terminals that won't grow capacity until Roberts Bank Terminal 2 opens. Vessel bunching after Pacific storms, rail car supply swings, and CBSA exam queues all eat free days before anyone touches your container. The clock doesn't care whose fault it is.
Six ways to keep the clocks on your side
1. Clear before arrival. Pre-arrival CAD filing means the container is releasable the moment it discharges — customs is off the critical path.
2. Book drayage against last free day, not arrival day. Dispatch should be planned backward from the day fees start.
3. Prepull when the schedule is tight. Moving the container to a local yard before free time expires trades a small dray fee for escalating daily charges.
4. Transload to kill detention. Devanning at a CFS and returning the empty quickly ends the equipment clock entirely.
5. Watch holds daily. Exam, carrier, and terminal holds each stall pickup — someone needs to be checking and chasing them every day.
6. Dispute with evidence. When the port or carrier caused the delay, fee waivers are often negotiable — but only with dated records of holds and availability.
This is standing procedure on every container we handle out of Vancouver — free-time clocks tracked from the day of discharge, with prepull and transload options priced before they're needed.
Educational overview only — free time and tariffs are set by carriers and terminals and vary by contract. Check your specific terms or ask our team.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Who pays demurrage — the shipper or the consignee?▼
At destination, it's almost always the importer/consignee or whoever controls destination logistics, regardless of who caused the delay — the merchant clause in most bills of lading makes the cargo interests jointly liable. If you buy FOB and control the freight, the invoices come to you or your forwarder. That's one more reason to know your free time before the vessel arrives, not after.
Do demurrage charges apply if CBSA holds my container for an exam?▼
Usually yes — the terminal's clock generally keeps running during a customs hold, because the terminal is still storing the box. Waivers or extensions are sometimes negotiable afterward when the delay was clearly outside your control, but only with dated records of the hold and container availability. Budget for exam-related storage as a real risk rather than assuming fault matters.
How many free days do I get at Vancouver terminals?▼
There's no single answer — free time is set by carrier and terminal tariffs and by your (or your forwarder's) contract, and it's commonly just a few working days for import rail and truck moves. Check the specific allowance on each arrival notice rather than assuming last shipment's terms apply. Contracted free time negotiated at booking is worth far more than disputing fees later.
Is it cheaper to prepull a container than to pay demurrage?▼
Often, yes — a prepull moves the box to a local yard before terminal free time expires, trading a fixed dray-and-storage cost for daily charges that escalate in tiers. The math typically favours prepulling as soon as you know delivery will slip past the last free day. The key is deciding early: a prepull booked after the clock starts saves less.
Can demurrage and detention fees be waived or disputed?▼
Sometimes — carriers and terminals do grant waivers when their own operations caused the delay (vessel bunching, equipment shortages, container not actually available for pickup). Success depends almost entirely on evidence: dated screenshots of holds, availability status, and appointment attempts. Disputes argued from memory rarely go anywhere; disputes argued from a log often do.
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