Shipping with Maersk Spot: How to navigate Demurrage and Detention with Freetime Extension

At Maersk, we offer you a host of digital solutions designed to enable a seamless, efficient, and informed shipping experience.

• Self-service tools: Streamlines freight booking experience for customers.
• Faster booking and documentation: Improve efficiency compared to traditional methods.
• Dedicated live chat support: Provide assistance at every step.
• Enhanced flexibility and control: Proactively manage your shipping schedules and avoid unnecessary fees.

Did you know? Our customers have been able to guarantee additional time for over 9,000 containers across nearly 4,000 shipments, adding an average of 5 days to their allotted Freetime—by using Maersk’s Freetime Extension add-on to their existing Spot shipments!

Now, let’s understand how easy it is to purchase a Freetime Extension for your Maersk Spot bookings. But, first…

Demurrage and Detention charges are levied on shippers when containers are not picked up or returned to the terminal within a specified timeframe. These days are often referred to as Freetime. Learn more about D&D and Freetime here.

• Demurrage is charged when the importer fails to pick up the container from the terminal within the allotted Freetime.
• Detention is charged when the exporter fails to return the empty container to the terminal within the specified Freetime.
• Freetime is the period provided by shipping lines to allow shippers to pick up or return containers without incurring additional charges.

The length of Freetime can vary depending on the shipping line, port, and type of container. After exhausting the allocated free days, or Freetime, shippers need to pay demurrage or detention on a per-day basis for each container — which can significantly drive up the shipping costs.

But, here’s a way out 🙂

Our Freetime Extension product allows you to purchase additional Freetime for your containers, both before and after the vessel’s departure.

• By leveraging these tools, you can save a minimum of 20% on your Demurrage and Detention fees—with the potential for even greater savings depending on the destination and your purchase history.
• These Freetime Extension products are available for a variety of container types, including dry, refrigerated, dangerous goods, and out-of-gauge cargo. The only exception is for shipper-owned containers, which are not eligible for the Freetime Extension feature.
• Our digital tools also distinguish between pre- and post-vessel departure availability, providing customers with flexible options to manage their shipments throughout the journey.

By continuously enhancing our suite of self-service solutions, we are empowering our customers to take greater control of their shipping operations and save significant costs.

Please note: Freetime Extension availability begins 15 days from the final vessel discharge.

Up ahead, we’ll discuss numerous ways you can access the Freetime Extension feature at various stages of the shipping process using different options.

Simply log in to your Maersk account and proceed as described further:

1. You can create a new booking or duplicate an existing one to streamline the process.

2. When you create a new booking on our website, the value-added services page will display the included Freetime for the selected vessel and destination.

3. You can view a detailed price breakdown including spot shipping fees as well as export and import Demurrage and Detention (D&D) charges where applicable. Each destination has its own set of demurrage and detention Freetime and associated rates for exceeding these limits.

4. You can select additional days from a range of options, with the system displaying the rate per container per day. As you make your selection, the total cost is automatically calculated and added to your booking.

5. After confirming your selection, you’ll move to the shipment review page where you’ll see a detailed breakdown of your proposed booking—including a new line item for the Freetime Extension. This will display the number of days you’ve selected, the price per container, and the total price for multiple containers (if applicable).

6. The final review page allows you to double-check all aspects of your booking, ensuring everything is to your preference. If you need to make any adjustments, you can easily navigate back to previous sections and modify your selections.

7. Before finalizing, you also get the option to send a copy of the booking confirmation to additional parties by clicking the ‘Add additional email receiver’ checkbox.

8. Once you’ve reviewed all the details, confirmed the terms and conditions, and are satisfied with your selections, including the Freetime Extension, you can submit the booking.

9. After submitting your booking, you’ll immediately receive a booking number on the screen (if it’s eligible for instant confirmation, usually for dry CY/CY shipments).

The shipping instructions (SIs) tool allows you to add Freetime when submitting a new instruction or during amendments, but not after the vessel has sailed and the OBL (Original Bill of Lading) is generated.

A widget on the tool’s front page lets you select additional free days, with the pricing widget updating to show the new total. This tool accounts for Freetime added during booking. For example, if you added 4 free days at booking for a total of 7 days detention, you could add 4 more for a total of 11 days. Pricing includes a minimum 20% discount on pre-purchased Freetime. This process must be completed before the verified copy is issued.

Here’s how you can do that:

1. Select the desired number of additional free days (e.g., 4 days).
2. An alert will appear, requiring you to accept the terms and conditions.
3. After accepting, the ‘Confirm purchase’ button becomes active. Upon clicking, you’ll receive an on-screen confirmation. A confirmation email will also be sent to your registered email address, containing details of your purchase and your total number of free days (or Freetime).

Please note: Unlike creating a booking, purchasing Freetime Extensions through the shipping instructions and post-departure tools sends separate email confirmations.

Even after the vessel has sailed, you can still purchase Freetime Extensions. This option is available up to 15 days before the final discharge of the shipment. So, if you miss the opportunity to buy the Freetime Extension during the booking or shipping instructions stages, we offer several post-vessel departure tools that allow you to do so.

These tools include the shipment details page, tracking tool, delivery order tool, and demurrage and detention tool. Each of these interfaces has a dedicated widget where you can review your current Freetime and purchase any necessary Extensions.

1. Via the ‘shipment details’ page

1. Search for your bill in the ‘Maersk Hub’. This takes you directly to the shipment details page.

2. Focus on the transport plan area, just below the header bar. Here, you’ll find the ‘Import Freetime’ widget.

3. Depending on the destination country, you’ll get the option to extend detention or demurrage Freetime. For example, click the ‘Continue to buy detention’ button for demurrage.

4. After the previous step, your interface will show:

• Alert with free days added and associated charge.
• New estimated last free day.
• Required terms and conditions that you can accept.
• ‘Buy now’ button that becomes enabled after accepting terms.

Generally, origin-side parties like the price owner, transporter, and document receiver can access the feature during the booking and pre-departure stages, while destination-side roles such as the consignee, first notify, and lawful bill of lading holder can purchase Freetime in the post-vessel departure tools.

2. Via the ‘tracking’ tool

The latest addition to the Freetime Extension product line is now integrated into the tracking tool itself.

When using public tracking without logging in, you’ll only see basic shipment information.

However, once logged in, the tracking tool offers much more. By searching any bill or container number, you’ll access the familiar tracking details as well as the new ‘Import Freetime’ widget.

• Once your shipment reaches the ETA–5-day mark, the Freetime widget becomes active.
• This widget offers the same additional day options as other tools, displaying your updated last free day and the percentage savings compared to waiting until discharge. Pricing varies by destination country, and you, as the purchaser, will be designated as the invoice party for any added charges.
• To make a purchase, simply select the desired number of days and click ‘Continue to buy demurrage’ or ‘Continue to buy detention’.

• After accepting the terms and conditions, you can complete the transaction directly within the tracking tool.

Please note: As of now, all the Freetime products discussed are exclusively for destination use.

3. Via the ‘delivery order’ tool

To access the delivery order tool,

1. Locate the ‘Delivery Order’ card on the Hub page.
2. Enter your bill of lading (B/L) number.
3. Click ‘Request’ to open the delivery order widget. The widget’s interface may vary significantly depending on the destination country.

• After that, you can choose from the pre-selected number of days. Our system will identify and suggest which one gives the most overall value. You can also view your savings, total cost, the number of containers it will apply to, and your estimated last date free day after the purchase.

4. Via the ‘demurrage and detention’ tool

Accessible through the hub, similar to the tracking tool, you can enter your bill of lading (B/L) number and click ‘View details’ to access the feature. It presents a series of cards outlining various options available for the shipment.

Where the demurrage feature is active, you can select the corresponding tab to view and manage their Freetime Extensions.

• For each container, you can view the current number of free days and the last free day.
• A drop-down calculator allows you to input an ‘empty return date’, instantly showing the associated costs and risk level.
• This tool also calculates and displays the potential savings from pre-purchasing additional Freetime within the tool itself.

At any point during your shipment process, if you’re unsure about which party role you’re fulfilling, we’ve got a simple way to check:

Compare your current logged-in customer code with the party roles listed in the ‘Parties’ tab of the shipment details. This comparison will indicate whether you have the authority to submit shipping instructions or purchase additional Freetime. If you see that you don’t have access, it may be because these actions are reserved for other parties such as the consignee, first notify party, or other destination-related roles.

The specific Freetime Extension options and pricing may vary depending on the destination country, as we adapt our tools to comply with local regulations and market conditions.

The availability of Freetime Extensions may also be subject to restrictions based on party roles and destination countries. While we are continuously expanding the reach of these products, it’s always a good idea to check the current offerings and limitations for your specific shipment. For example, the booking creation process may only allow the party responsible for the booking (e.g., the freight forwarder) to purchase Freetime Extensions, while the post-vessel departure tools may be accessible to the consignee or first notify party.