How tariffs and contracts shape the allowance
Free time comes in a few shapes. Separate free time gives one allowance for days at the terminal and another for days outside it. Combined free time pools both, so every day the box waits at the port is a day lost at the warehouse. Contracts often override the standard tariff for a customer, lane or equipment type, and reefers or special equipment may carry a different allowance than dry boxes. Confirm which model applies before counting days.
Trigger events for the free time count
The tariff names the trigger. For import demurrage, that is usually discharge or the moment the container becomes available for pickup. For import detention, it is usually gate-out. For exports, it often starts when the empty is picked up. Small details matter: a container discharged late on a Friday can lose part of its allowance over a weekend if the terminal is closed but the tariff counts calendar days.
Free time as it appears on the invoice
U.S. demurrage and detention invoices covered by the FMC's billing rule must state the allowed free time, its start and end dates, and, for imports, the container availability date. Compare those fields with your own records and the milestone history: discharge, availability, gate-out and empty return. A mismatch, such as free time counted from discharge while a hold blocked pickup, is worth raising with the billing party.
Example
A shipper's service contract grants extended destination free time, so HLBU2456904 can wait at the terminal longer than the carrier's standard tariff allows before demurrage starts.
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Official sources
Questions
What does Free Time mean?
Free time is the period a carrier or terminal allows a container to be used or stored without charge before demurrage, detention or storage begins. Tariffs, terminal schedules and service contracts set how long it lasts.
How many free days does a container get?
There is no single number. Free time varies by carrier, terminal, port, equipment type and contract, and it can differ for demurrage and detention. The arrival notice, tariff and contract show the allowance that applies.
Can free time be negotiated?
Often, yes. Shippers with service contracts commonly negotiate extended free time at origin or destination. It only helps if the people booking and dispatching the cargo know it exists.