Pricing & Surcharges
Detention
A charge when a shipper or consignee holds a carrier container outside the port or depot beyond the allowed free days. Applies to equipment use, not port storage.
In depth
Detention is the charge for holding a carrier's container outside the terminal beyond the agreed free time — typically the days between collecting a full container for unpacking and returning the empty to the nominated depot. The carrier charges it because the box is an asset that cannot be reused while it sits at a warehouse. Detention and demurrage are frequently billed together and often confused; the practical test is whether the container is inside the terminal, which is demurrage, or out in the shipper or consignee's control, which is detention. Slow unpacking, full warehouses, and congested empty-return depots are the usual causes.
Key points
- Charged for keeping a container outside the terminal past free time
- Runs from collection until the empty is returned to the depot
- Often invoiced alongside demurrage but is a different charge
- Congested empty-return depots can cause detention outside your control