Logistics & shipping
Detention
A charge for holding a carrier's container outside the terminal beyond the free time before it is returned empty.Detention accrues once the customer has taken the container out of the terminal for unloading (or loading) and keeps it longer than the agreed free days before returning it empty. It complements demurrage: detention covers the container's time away from the port, while demurrage covers its time still inside the terminal.
Frequently asked questions
- When does detention start?
- After the free days expire once the container has left the terminal and is still in the customer's possession awaiting empty return.
- Is detention the same as demurrage?
- No — detention applies to the container outside the terminal; demurrage applies while it is still inside the terminal.