DetentionCharges & Tariffs

Detention (Per Diem)

Definition: A daily fee charged when a container is held outside the port terminal beyond the allowed equipment free time before being returned empty.

Detailed Freight Guide & Operational Context

Detention—often called Per Diem in North America—is the equipment hire penalty charged by ocean carriers for holding their shipping container box and chassis outside terminal facilities past the contracted equipment free time.

For import shipments, detention begins the moment equipment free time expires following gate-out from the marine terminal until the empty container is safely returned and accepted at the carrier's inland depot or marine terminal gate.

For export shipments, detention applies when an empty container is picked up from the depot for factory loading and is not gated back in loaded before the export cutoff window.

Real-World Example in Practice

A drayage carrier pulls an import container on Monday with 3 days of equipment free time. Due to warehouse unloading backlogs, the empty box is returned the following Tuesday, generating 4 billable days of detention.