Demurrage & Detention Explained

26 February 2026

They’re part and parcel of every quotation: demurrage and detention charges. And still, they can catch some importers by surprise, simply because they’re not expected at the time of booking. Below we set out what causes these charges and, more importantly, how to prevent them.

Import-export imbalance

Demurrage and detention are closely linked to what the logistics industry calls the “imbalance” issue: the structural gap that sees import volumes exceed export volumes. This is particularly true of trade with Asia, where container volumes into Europe have exceeded export for many years.

The result is a large number of empty containers circulating in Europe, causing a container surplus and a significant shortage of storage space at quays, terminals and depots. This phenomenon has been around for years and is by no means a new development.

What are Demurrage & Detention charges?

Shipping lines have sought to fix this imbalance by tightening the time allowed to collect a full container or to return it empty. If a container remains at the terminal for several days after arrival, demurrage charges apply. If you retain the container for longer than permitted before returning it empty, detention charges apply.

Although these conditions are clearly stated in your quotation, the costs can still come as an unwelcome surprise. At the time of booking, your inbound planning may appear straightforward, but a lot can change between the time you make the booking and when your shipment finally arrives. This may result in substantial charges later for costs you had not budgeted for, or could even have avoided.

Prevention is better than cure

You will be informed in advance of how many days you have to collect and return a container before incurring charges, and your usual representative will also flag this during transport planning coordination.

Ritra Cargo customers have access to practical tool for managing this process: In TRACOS, Ritra’s digital platform, you can easily display free-time information in the Container Planning Module. This allows you to monitor free time yourself and lets you stay in control over both your schedule and your costs.

Would you like to see how this works in practice, and how other clients are using it? Take a look at the product page, read the customer stories, or contact the TRACOS team for a demonstration.