Calculators
Demurrage and detention charges on imports
Independent site, not a government service. General information, not customs advice.
Enter the days a container was held, the free days in your contract and the daily rate. The rate shown is an example: yours comes from the carrier or terminal.
Demurrage or detention bill
Charge
₹35,000
| Chargeable days | 7 |
| Rate per day | ₹5,000 |
The rate is an example: no official tariff exists for it. Carriers publish their own, often rising in slabs.
Demurrage and detention are charges for using terminal space or containers. We found no definition in the Indian texts we read. The closest official one comes from the United States: its Federal Maritime Commission rule of 2024 defines both together as charges by carriers and terminal operators, including per diem, for the use of terminal space or containers, not freight. It is not Indian law, but it does show why your own contract's words matter more than the label. In the rule, an invoice must show the free time, its start and end dates, and the rate that applies. We read no customs notification that sets a rate for these charges in India, so this page states no market figure. In the Indian Customs Act, goods left uncleared can have further consequences: section 48 lets the custodian sell goods not cleared, warehoused or transhipped within thirty days of unloading, after notice and with the permission of the proper officer. Filing on time also avoids the charges for late presentation described on the bill of entry page.
Last day to file the bill of entry
File before the end of
14 December 2026
| Earliest filing | 15 November 2026 |
| Arrival | 15 December 2026 |
Section 46(3), holidays count. The Board can set other limits for some cases, up to the end of the arrival day.
Tariff and rules read by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · Method and sources
The calculation
Chargeable days are days held minus free days, never below zero. Multiply by the daily rate. If your rate changes by period, run the tool once per period and add them. If a terminal and a carrier each bill you, run it once for each with its own terms.
What to look for on an invoice
The US rule lists what must appear on such an invoice there, and its list works as a checklist anywhere, although it binds nobody in India:
- The date the container was made available, and the port of discharge.
- The container number or numbers.
- The free time in days, with its start and end dates.
- The rule on which the daily rate is based, and the rate or rates.
- The total, and a contact for questions.
Timing inside customs clearance
The bill of entry is due before the end of the day before arrival, under section 46(3), and can be filed up to thirty days earlier. Section 47(2) sets the time to pay duty, and interest runs if you pay late. The second tool gives the filing dates for an arrival date. Read more in bill of entry.
What we could not verify
We read no official table of demurrage or detention rates for Indian ports, and the example of ₹5,000 per day is simply a round number to make the tool work. Do not use it for a budget. Ask your carrier for its current tariff, and ask the terminal or container freight station for its own. Compare the free days in each freight quote too. Disputes with a carrier over these charges fall outside customs, and need a commercial or legal adviser. Add the final figure to your landed cost.