What are demurrage and detention charges when shipping abroad?
They're daily charges for not collecting your container from the port, or not returning it, on time. They add up fast, so have customs papers ready before the ship arrives.
Under the Federal Maritime Commission's rule, only the person who contracted the shipment or who receives it can be billed. Ship lines and terminals must invoice within 30 days, and you have at least 30 days to dispute a bill.
Source: Federal Maritime Commission, final rule on detention and demurrage billing · Checked October 2026