Free time is the number of days a carrier or terminal allows a container to occupy space or equipment without extra charge. Once free time expires, demurrage applies inside the terminal and detention applies outside it. Free days are set by tariff or negotiated in service contracts.
Free time is counted per container from a trigger event: discharge for import demurrage, gate-out for import detention, empty pick-up for export equipment use. Depending on the tariff it is counted in calendar or working days, and weekend and holiday rules differ by port.
Contracts commonly extend free time for regular shippers, and some ports regulate minimums. Because the same word covers several different clocks, always ask which charge the free time applies to and which event starts it.
Free time only matters relative to real events, which is exactly what tracking provides. TrackingMCP pairs each container’s discharge and gate-out timestamps with published free days, and the free-time lookup lets you compare carriers such as ONE and ZIM before you book, not after the invoice.
Free days, daily rates, and billing rules vary by carrier, terminal, port, and contract. Treat this page as orientation and confirm specifics against your own agreement and the applicable tariff before acting on an invoice.
Free time is the number of days a carrier or terminal allows a container to occupy space or equipment without extra charge. Once free time expires, demurrage applies inside the terminal and detention applies outside it. Free days are set by tariff or negotiated in service contracts.
There is no universal number. Standard tariffs often allow only a few days at import before demurrage, with detention free time counted separately, and both vary by carrier, port, equipment type, and contract. Check the tariff for your specific combination.
Depends on the tariff. Some count calendar days, some working days, and holiday treatment varies by country and port. The same carrier can apply different counting rules at different ports.
Free time by carrier and country →
Track containers against their free time →
More in Charges & free time: Demurrage · Detention · Demurrage & detention · Demurrage vs detention vs storage · Last free day (LFD) · Per diem · Terminal handling charge (THC) · General rate increase (GRI) · Peak season surcharge (PSS) · Bunker adjustment factor (BAF) · Currency adjustment factor (CAF) · War risk surcharge (WRS) · Browse all 106 terms →