A forwarder passes on a demurrage invoice for a container that was held at the terminal. The consignee believes the delay was not theirs.
Case Studies / Case 9 · Common Issues
Demurrage is charged per day. Without a timeline you may pay for days that were the terminal’s or the carrier’s delay.
A forwarder passes on a demurrage invoice for a container that was held at the terminal. The consignee believes the delay was not theirs.
Dates: discharge 1 Oct, customs hold 3–7 Oct, release 8 Oct, pick-up 12 Oct. Free time in the booking: 5 days.
The guide's four steps give a clear order. In this example the free time ran out before release, so the question becomes who was responsible for the hold, and what the tariff says about it. The amount is checked against the terms, not against the invoice.
Paying first and arguing later. Also: the free-time rules differ by carrier and terminal, so the booking terms decide, not the generic guide.
Check your own shipment with the same steps.
Send the details (without customer names) to contact@supply.training. Written by a logistics professional with 20+ years on the floor — about the author.
Cases are anonymised and practical. They are not legal, customs, tax or dangerous-goods advice. Verify the current rule and the carrier or authority requirement for every real shipment. Last reviewed: 8 October 2026.