Work / DHL blog
Demurrage, detention and storage charges
Three ocean freight charges told apart by a single question, where the container stands, with five practical ways to keep them under control.
Demurrage, detention and storage charges compensate the owners of containers, terminals and warehouses for the time their equipment and space are in use, and all three can appear on the same invoice. What sets them apart is the container’s location: demurrage applies inside the port terminal, detention outside it, and storage wherever the container occupies space, whether on terminal grounds, in a warehouse or at a container yard. This piece defines each charge, explains when the free time begins, and closes with five ways to keep the costs down.
While these charges cannot always be avoided, they can be significantly reduced with coherent planning and proactive communication.
The infographic that accompanies it follows a single container from empty pickup to empty return and marks where each charge begins and ends, so a shipper can read the whole journey at a glance.
