DEMURRAGE, DETENTION & STORAGE - CHRISTMAS NEW YEAR

Demurrage, Detention & Storage - Christmas New Year

A certain number of free days are granted to customers before any demurrage, detention or storage cost is charged to them. The exact number of free days depends to a large extent on the location and selected ocean carrier, but is also influenced by the equipment and facility type. In some warehouses, no free time is allowed at all.

These factors influence the amount of free time customers can enjoy. But importantly enough, they also govern which event and date will trigger the counting of days! For example, import demurrage may start during vessel unloading, or after unloading is completed; but it may also start directly upon vessel arrival! Considering that unloading a ship typically takes 2 to 3 days, but may take up to a week in exceptional circumstances, it goes without saying that this seemingly small difference greatly impacts the final price of the bill.

While these charges cannot always be avoided, they can be significantly reduced with coherent planning and proactive communication.

Pre-clear your cargo through customs if you can. By working with the Loch M. Fraser team to manage your customs brokerage, the documents needed for import clearance are collected in advance, and all administrative steps are completed by the time the container reaches its port of arrival. This may allow for the container to be moved out of the terminal before the free demurrage time ends, thus also minimizing storage. 

The documents you will need for customs clearance and handling

1. Bill of Lading
2. Commercial Invoice
3. Packing List
4. Packing Declaration
5. If applicable: Dangerous Goods (DG) document
6. If applicable: import license    

Loch M. Fraser's close relationship to the ocean carriers allows us to offer extended free time to our freight forwarding customers, along with reduced demurrage and detention fees. Loch M. Fraser Global Logistics takes care of your cargo from door to door, managing its own storage facilities across its global network, you can save yourself the complexity of dealing with numerous stakeholders.  During this festive season starting Monday 20th of Dec 2021 to Monday 10^th of January 2022 Loch M. Team will not be held liable for any demurrage, detention & or storage incurred as all carriers will require a minimum of 72 hours (excludes weekend/public holidays) to delivery, pick up & return (dehire) container.

The communication between broker, carrier, driver, shipper and consignee should be open and clear. In concrete terms, this starts by sharing the shipment delivery instructions with all parties in advance. As the shipment travels on its journey, regular updates must be received by all involved parties in order to allow them to adapt their schedule.   

From Monday 10^th January 2022, Loch M. Fraser will return to normal trading conditions, return time frame reverting back to 48 hours.

We thank you for your support during 2021 and we would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a safe COVID free and prosperous New Year.