Demurrage and storage
at Tema, explained.

Two clocks, two bills

Port storage is charged by the terminal while the container sits in the port. It stops when the container leaves the port (gate-out).

Demurrage and detention are charged by the shipping line for using its container beyond the free days. That clock keeps running after gate-out until the empty container is returned.

So a container can stop costing storage the moment it leaves Tema and still cost the shipping line every day it sits at your warehouse, full or empty. The two bills are paid to different parties, often at different times: terminal charges before gate-out, shipping line charges when the delivery order is issued and again when the empty is returned.

Demurrage, detention and storage in plain terms

• Port storage: the terminal's charge for keeping a container in its yard.
• Demurrage: usually the shipping line's charge for its container staying inside the port beyond free time.
• Detention: usually the shipping line's charge for its container staying outside the port, at your premises or in transit, until the empty is returned.

Shipping lines use these words differently, and some combine demurrage and detention into a single free period. Always read the line's tariff for your booking rather than assuming.

Who pays depends on your contract with the supplier, but in practice the consignee in Ghana is billed. The shipping line will usually not issue a delivery order until outstanding charges are settled, and it may ask for a container deposit or guarantee before the box leaves the port, which is refunded once the empty is returned in good condition and any charges are cleared.

Free days

Both come with a number of free days, which vary by terminal, shipping line, container type and your contract. After that, daily charges apply and often rise the longer the box stays out. Reefers, open tops and flat racks usually have less free time than standard dry containers, and charges for special equipment tend to be higher.

The free period is normally counted from the day of discharge, not the day you hear the ship has arrived. Weekends and public holidays generally count as calendar days unless your terms say otherwise. Check the arrival notice and the line's terms as soon as the vessel sails.

Why containers overstay

The same causes come up again and again:

• Documents that do not agree, leading to queries or amendments (see our import documents checklist)
• Permits applied for after the goods land, such as an FDA permit
• Duty funds not ready when the assessment is issued
• Selection for physical examination, which adds handling time
• The original bill of lading not yet received
• No space or labour to unload at the receiving site, so the truck and container wait

How to avoid the charges

• Have documents and permits ready before arrival.
• Have funds for duty ready before the ship docks. Estimate them with the import duty calculator.
• Plan unloading at your site, so the truck and container are not kept waiting.
• Return the empty to the depot named by the line as soon as it is unloaded.
• Negotiate extra free days with the shipping line for large or regular volumes.

If you need time before the goods can go to your premises, it is often cheaper to unstuff the container into a warehouse and return the empty than to keep the box. Compare the daily cost of the container with the cost of handling and warehousing for the same period, and the answer is usually clear within the first week of overstay. Our warehousing in Tema and haulage service are set up for exactly that.

How to dispute or reduce charges

Charges are not always final. Check the invoice against the facts before you pay:

• Confirm the discharge date, gate-out date and empty return date on the invoice match the terminal and depot records.
• Confirm the number of free days applied matches your booking or contract.
• Where a delay was caused by the shipping line or the terminal, such as a late discharge or a container that could not be located, ask for those days to be waived and keep evidence.
• For regular importers, agree extended free time in advance rather than asking for a waiver afterwards.

Requests are more likely to succeed when made promptly, in writing and with supporting documents. A waiver is at the discretion of the line or terminal, so prevention remains the best strategy.

A short checklist on arrival

• Note the discharge date and the free days for storage and for the container.
• Confirm documents, permits and duty funds are ready.
• Book the truck and the unloading crew for the day of release.
• Agree where the empty goes and who returns it.
• Record the gate-out and empty return dates, and keep the interchange receipts.

The full sequence is in how customs clearance works at Tema. Cargo moving on to a landlocked neighbour has a longer journey before the empty comes back, so agree free time for transit boxes before they ship.

How we track it

For every container we handle, we track both clocks from the discharge date, show the days left on your tracking page, and message you three days and one day before charges start. As your clearing agent in Tema, we also return the empty and keep the receipts, so you have the evidence if an invoice is wrong.

Questions