Avoiding Demurrage Charges

Ocean freight shipments can occasionally be delayed, resulting in unexpected extra costs for you as the customer—costs you likely didn’t anticipate during your planning. Unfortunately, every freight forwarder faces this issue from time to time. With careful transport coordination, most of these costs can be avoided. Still, some surcharges are sometimes unavoidable.

What Causes Demurrage Fees?

One of these unforeseen costs is demurrage, or in simpler terms, "overstay charges." When a full container arrives at the quay in Rotterdam, Antwerp, or Hamburg, you usually get three to five free days for onward transport.
Some carriers count working days, others calendar days, meaning weekends can shorten your free time window.
Note: The first day counts from the moment of arrival, even if it's at 11 PM.

To avoid extra fees, The Freight Hero always tries to book additional free days. This provides flexibility in case of delays or inspections.

We aim to pick up and deliver your cargo as soon as possible after it reaches the port.
But if delays are caused by external factors, such as customs inspections, pre-booked free time can save you a lot of money.

Common Causes of Demurrage Costs

• Missing customs documents from your supplier
  If your supplier doesn’t provide the correct documentation, customs won't allow the release of your goods. The container remains at the terminal, accumulating charges.

• Incomplete or incorrect paperwork
  If customs rejects the documents you received from your supplier, the shipment is delayed while you request revised paperwork. This can take days.

• Physical customs inspections
  Even with complete paperwork, your container might be selected for a random inspection, which could delay release.

• Additional government checks
  Certain products (e.g. food) may require extra inspections by other agencies, further delaying processing.

By law, all demurrage fees and inspection costs are your responsibility as the importer.

How Expensive Can It Get?

A typical demurrage fee is €70 per day for a 40-foot container.
If you have three 40-ft containers sitting at the terminal for an extra week, you're looking at a bill of almost €1,500.
Rates increase daily the longer the container stays.

How to Avoid Demurrage Fees

✔ Check whether your product type requires special import approvals

✔ If permits are needed, obtain them in advance and notify The Freight Hero

✔ If additional free time is likely needed, book it ahead of time—retroactive requests are more expensive

✔ Ensure that your supplier provides compliant product documentation, such as:

• A proper packing list

• A commercial invoice that meets customs requirements

• The Bill of Lading (you can’t claim ownership of your goods without it)

✔ Communicate clearly with your supplier to prevent surprises

Rotterdam vs. Hamburg

In The Freight Hero's experience:

• Rotterdam is generally more flexible

• Hamburg is stricter with free days and more expensive overall