If demurrage is what you pay when your container sits at the port too long, detention is what you pay when you keep the container or chassis too long after you've picked it up. Both are daily charges. Both are expensive. And both are preventable with proper logistics management.
Detention is the less-understood cousin of demurrage, and it catches many shippers off guard, especially those who focus all their attention on getting the container out of the port quickly without planning for the return.
What detention is
Detention is the charge assessed when a shipping container, chassis, or both are held outside the marine terminal beyond the allotted free time before being returned. Once you pick up a container from the port, the clock starts on detention free time, typically 3-5 days, depending on the carrier and trade lane.
Within that free time, you need to unload the container, return the empty container to the designated return location, and return the chassis to the chassis pool. If any of those steps takes longer than the free time allows, detention charges accrue.
How detention charges work
Detention is typically charged by the ocean carrier for the container and by the chassis provider for the chassis. These are separate charges from separate companies, and they accrue independently.
Container detention rates typically range from $100-$250 per day, escalating in tiers for longer holds. Chassis per-diem rates typically range from $25-$75 per day. Combined, detention and chassis charges on a single container held for a week past free time can easily reach $1,000-$2,000.
What triggers detention
Slow unloading at the receiving facility. The most common cause. The container arrives at the warehouse but sits for days waiting to be unloaded due to labor shortages, dock scheduling conflicts, or insufficient unloading equipment.
Failed delivery attempts. The container arrives at the delivery location but can't be accepted, wrong appointment time, facility not ready, receiving dock full. The container returns to a yard and waits for a rescheduled delivery, burning detention time.
Delayed empty return. The container is unloaded promptly but the empty isn't returned to the designated drop-off location in time. This can happen when the return location is far from the delivery point, when the return yard has restricted hours, or when the drayage carrier deprioritizes the empty return.
Chassis not returned with the container. Some return locations accept containers but not chassis, or vice versa. If the chassis needs to go to a different location than the container, coordinating both returns within free time adds complexity.
Strategies to minimize detention
Pre-schedule unloading before the container arrives. Confirm that your receiving facility has dock space, labor, and equipment ready to unload the container the day it arrives. Don't pick up a container from the port until you know you can unload it promptly.
Use live unloading when possible. The driver waits while the container is unloaded and takes the empty directly to the return location. This eliminates the multi-day dwell time that causes most detention. Live unloading only works if your facility can unload within 2-3 hours.
Know your return locations and hours. Different ocean carriers designate different return locations for empties. Some locations have limited hours. Your drayage provider should know the designated return location for each carrier and plan the empty return accordingly.
Monitor detention free time like you monitor demurrage. Track the pickup date, know when free time expires, and escalate before charges start. Your drayage provider should be doing this automatically.
Negotiate extended detention free time. Like demurrage, detention free time is sometimes negotiable for consistent high-volume shippers. Even 1-2 additional days can prevent most detention exposure.
How Total Connection manages detention
We track detention free time on every container from the moment it's picked up from the terminal. Our team coordinates delivery appointments to ensure prompt unloading, schedules empty returns to designated locations within free time, and escalates when detention exposure is approaching.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between free time and detention free time?
Free time refers to the days you have to pick up a container from the port terminal before demurrage charges start. Detention free time is the separate period, typically 3-5 days, that starts after you pick up the container and lasts until you must return the empty container and chassis. Different carriers and chassis providers set different detention free time periods.
Can detention free time be extended or negotiated?
Yes, especially for high-volume shippers with consistent import volumes. Some carriers will extend detention free time by 1-3 additional days as part of a service contract. Extended free time is most negotiable when you commit to minimum volume levels on specific trade lanes. Even small increases in detention free time can prevent thousands in annual charges.
How do detention charges work for refrigerated (reefer) containers?
Refrigerated containers have the same detention structure as dry containers but typically carry higher daily rates, often $150-$300 per day or more, because reefer units are more expensive equipment. Additionally, reefer containers may accrue power charges if you need to keep the unit plugged in during unloading, separate from detention but often charged simultaneously.
What happens if I cannot return the container within detention free time?
Detention charges accrue daily until the container and chassis are returned. Rates typically tier up, for example $150/day for days 1-3, $200/day for days 4-7, $300/day thereafter. Carriers can also place holds on future shipments if unpaid detention balances accumulate. In extreme cases, unreturned containers can result in equipment recovery charges and legal action.
Who is responsible for paying detention charges, the shipper or the consignee?
Responsibility depends on the Incoterms and contractual agreements between buyer and seller. Under DDP (Delivered Duty Paid), the shipper typically bears all charges including detention. Under FOB or EXW, the consignee often takes responsibility for detention since they control the delivery and unloading timeline. The ocean carrier's tariff determines who they bill, but commercial responsibility is a contract matter between trading partners.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is detention in container shipping?
A charge assessed when containers and/or chassis are held outside the terminal beyond the allotted free time before being returned. It's the counterpart to demurrage, which accrues while the container is still at the terminal.
How is detention different from demurrage?
Demurrage accrues while the container sits at the port terminal. Detention accrues after pickup, while the container or chassis is held at a warehouse, delivery location, or anywhere outside the terminal. Both are daily charges; both are preventable.
How much do detention charges cost?
Container detention typically runs $100-$250 per day from the ocean carrier. Chassis per-diem runs $25-$75 per day from the chassis provider. Combined charges on a single container held for a week can reach $1,000-$2,000.
What's the fastest way to avoid detention?
Live unloading, where the driver waits while the container is unloaded and immediately returns the empty. This eliminates multi-day dwell time and is the single most effective detention prevention strategy when your facility can accommodate it.
Does Total Connection track detention free time?
Yes. We monitor detention on every container from the moment it's picked up, coordinate prompt unloading, and schedule empty returns within free time to minimize detention exposure.
