Shipping to and from South Africa
Your complete guide to shipping to and from South Africa. Find the right route, get Maersk office locations, discover local solutions, payment options and more.
Import
Get up-to-date local information about import procedures and restrictions, demurrage and detention, container pick-ups and more.
WK 15 2021 Empty Import turn in’s (This is valid until 12/04/2021)
All customers to ensure turn in instructions to be followed, as non-allocated depots will reject turn in's
Our Self Service Delivery Order – Simplifying the Import Release Process
Our Self-Service Delivery Order functionality on Maersk has been upgraded once again and we would like to encourage you to request all Delivery Orders via this tool.
Consignees and Agents are able to request Delivery Orders online and once the attached supporting documentation has been verified by our Release Counter and all payments confirmed, your
Delivery Order will be emailed to you within 2 hours.
To help facilitate your Import Container Release and ensure you receive the Delivery Order with a quicker turnaround time, we are prioritizing the processing of Delivery Orders submitted via our website.
Please find below link to a Quick step by step process on our to navigate using our Online platform.
Commodity
- Hazardous classes 1, 7 and 9, are all subject to approval before acceptance.
- No acceptance of Used Tyres
- No acceptance of Non DG charcoal
- No acceptance of Asbestos
Weight & Measurement- The general road weight limitation is 24 tonnes/20’ and 28 tonnes/40’ including cargo and container tare. Overweight containers are subject to a fine imposed by the Government. Requests for movement of overweight cargo can be obtained from your nearest Maersk office.
45' Containers- No acceptance of 45' containers in South Africa.
In the situation where your container is stopped and detained by Customs (South African Revenue Services, SARS); SAPS (South African Police Force) or the NRCS in South Africa, and you do not have representation for the inspection at the depot, MAERSK can arrange with one of our trusted vendors to be present and represent you at the depot for inspection.
By using this service, the safety and integrity of the cargo is kept intact, where photographs will be taken at each stage from breaking of seal – completion of inspection, creating complete visibly and peace of mind.
Inspection 1stday - Customer Rep (20’ & 40’) | Inspection 2ndday & any day onwards - Customer Rep (20’ &40’) | MAERSK Admin Fee |
---|---|---|
Inspection 1stday - Customer Rep (20’ & 40’)
R630.00 (ex VAT.)
|
Inspection 2ndday & any day onwards - Customer Rep (20’ &40’)
R350.00 (ex VAT.)
|
MAERSK Admin Fee
R450.00 (ex VAT.)
|
- First day of inspection is R630.00 (ex VAT.) for a 20’ & 40’ Container
- If it is a full unpack, the 2nd day and any day after is R350.00 (ex VAT.)
- MAERSK will add an admin fee of R450.00 (ex VAT.)
Important to Note: Additional charges apply in the rare instance when an Official request a full sort or inventory to be done on a shipment. The added rate for sorting and inventory is R530.00 (ex VAT.) per day per 20-foot container, and R980.00 (ex VAT.) per day per 40-foot container. Extra labour is needed to assist with the physical sorting and taking inventory of the cargo.
The assigned customer’s representative scope will include:
- Arrange to meet with officials at the inspection site and conducting the physical inspection with the officials
- Be present at the breaking of seal
- Be present at opening of container doors
- If just a tailboard is required, doors will be shut with new seal
- If unpack is required, once unpack is complete on warehouse floor, the representative will conduct a packing list with the relevant officials and depot officials, ensuring nothing goes wrong
- Step-by-step feedback will be provided to Maersk, creating visibly in the instance of any damage or stolen cargo – document will be shared with customer once container is released
- Once inspection is finalised, the duty of the repetitive is complete at this stage and will leave
- The representative will follow up with the relevant authorities, it will typically take 1-3 days to get release
- Furthermore, a report document will be forwarded to the customer with the findings of the inspection.
The Rationale Behind This Service:
In the absence of a representative for an inspection of your stopped container, it will often result in massive delays, as officials refuse to open the container for inspection without customer representation, resulting in weeks and sometimes months of storage incurred by the customer. By using this value-add inspection service MAERSK is offering, you as the customer can have representation on the day of inspection with feedback and photo updates of the progress. Once the inspection is complete, the representative will follow up with the authorities to get release of the container as soon as possible. This is saving customers a significant amount of money in storage, which would otherwise be incurred.
If you have any questions on the inspection service, please feel free to get in touch with za.stops@maersk.com.
Detention Charges are applicable when the customer holds the line’s equipment longer than the agreed free time, detention days are counted discharge full to gate-in empty minus free days. The following charges are penalty surcharges when agreed free time has been exceeded and appear on applicable export shipments from South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland.
The combined Freetime deals cover Detention only and not Demurrage. Demurrage is the storage charges incur in the terminal and no freetime is granted on storage as same is an out of pocket cost which is back to back recovery
***From 15.08.2020 the Free Time deals will be applied based on the effective deals at the Price Calculation date – PCD***
Maersk Import Detention | Period | 20’ Dry | 40’ Dry per day | 20’ Reef | 40’ Reef per day | 20’ Special/IMO | 40’ Special/IMO per day |
---|---|---|---|---|
Maersk Import Detention
Please see Free Time table below
|
Period
Day 1 to Day 8 after free time expires
|
20’ Dry | 40’ Dry per day
USD 56 | USD 102
|
20’ Reef | 40’ Reef per day
USD 101 | USD 199
|
20’ Special/IMO | 40’ Special/IMO per day
USD 101 | USD 199
|
Maersk Import Detention
Please see Free Time table below
|
Period
Day 9 to Day 18 after free time expires
|
20’ Dry | 40’ Dry per day
USD 76 | USD 154
|
20’ Reef | 40’ Reef per day
USD 164 | USD 332
|
20’ Special/IMO | 40’ Special/IMO per day
USD 164 | USD 332
|
Maersk Import Detention
Please see Free Time table below
|
Period
Day 19+ after free time expires
|
20’ Dry | 40’ Dry per day
USD 105 | USD 210
|
20’ Reef | 40’ Reef per day
USD 216 | USD 431
|
20’ Special/IMO | 40’ Special/IMO per day
USD 216 | USD 431
|
Direction | Container type | Free time in days | Trigger |
---|---|---|---|
Direction
CPT, DUR & PLZ to Coastal and Inland depot
|
Container type
DRY and Special
Reefer |
Free time in days
5 days
4 days |
Trigger
From Completion of Vessel Discharge
|
Direction
CPT, DUR & PLZ to Lesotho
|
Container type
All
|
Free time in days
10 days
|
Trigger
From Completion of Vessel Discharge
|
Direction
CPT, DUR & PLZ to Botswana
|
Container type
All
|
Free time in days
10 days
|
Trigger
From Completion of Vessel Discharge
|
Direction
CPT, DUR & PLZ to Swaziland
|
Container type
All
|
Free time in days
10 days
|
Trigger
From Completion of Vessel Discharge
|
Direction
JNB & PTA to Inland depot
|
Container type
All
|
Free time in days
5 days
|
Trigger
From Off-Rail
|
Direction
CPT, DUR, PLZ to Zimbabwe, Zambia & Malawi
|
Container type
All
|
Free time in days
21 days
|
Trigger
From Completion of Vessel Discharge
|
Direction
JNB & PTA to Coastal depot
|
Container type
All
|
Free time in days
5 days
|
Trigger
From Completion of Vessel Discharge
|
Direction
Lesotho, Swaziland & Botswana to Lesotho
|
Container type
All
|
Free time in days
7 days
|
Trigger
From Off-Rail
|
Direction
Lesotho, Swaziland & Botswana to Botswana
|
Container type
All
|
Free time in days
7 days
|
Trigger
From Off-Rail
|
Direction
Lesotho, Swaziland & Botswana to Swaziland
|
Container type
All
|
Free time in days
7 days
|
Trigger
From Off-Rail
|
Maersk Import Detention |
Free Time |
Period |
20' Imo per day | 40' Imo per day |
---|---|---|---|---|
Maersk Import Detention
IMDG 1; 2.1; 2.3; 4.1; 4.2; 5.1; 5.2; 6 and 7
|
Free Time
0 DAYS
|
Period
Day 1 to 8 after free time expires
|
20' Imo per day
USD 101
|
40' Imo per day
USD 199
|
Maersk Import Detention
IMDG 3, 4, 6, 8
|
Free Time
2 DAYS
|
Period
Day 9 to 18 after free time expires
|
20' Imo per day
USD 149
|
40' Imo per day
USD 332
|
Maersk Import Detention
IMDG 3, 4, 6, 8
|
Free Time
2 DAYS
|
Period
Day 19 + after free time expires
|
20' Imo per day
USD 216
|
40' Imo per day
USD 431
|
Demurrage
Demurrage days are counted from container discharge to gate-out full minus the free days. Penalty charge associated with extended use of the container after agreed transit agreement and covers storage of these units. The following charges are penalty surcharges when agreed free time has been exceeded and appear on applicable Import shipments to South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland.
Demurrage collection aims to serve 2 purposes: (1) to ensure the release and optimal turnaround of equipment; and (2) recover some contribution towards the cost of idle time, in excess of the standard requirement. The charges become more punitive the longer the container remains unreleased. Charge code used is DMR.
Cleared Containers
All import containers that have been customs cleared and all necessary documentation has been lodged with Maersk.
Un-cleared containers
All import containers that have not been customs cleared and all necessary documentation has not been lodged with Maersk.
All container types: Standard demurrage free time is 3 calendar days from date vessel completes for Durban discharge and 4 calendar days from vessel completes discharge for Cape Town and Port Elizabeth.
For City Deep Inland Container Terminal; see below.
During Peak Reefer season in Durban and Port Elizabeth from 1st May - 31st October and Cape Town 15th November - 31st March free days will be reduced to 2 free days applicable to reefer shipments only
Maersk Import Demurrage | Period | 20’ Dry / 40’ Dry per day | 20’ Reef / 40’ Reef per day | 20’ Special / 40’ Special per day |
---|---|---|---|---|
Maersk Import Demurrage
CPT & PLZ
|
Period
Day 5 & 6
|
20’ Dry / 40’ Dry per day
ZAR 196 / ZAR 392
|
20’ Reef / 40’ Reef per day
ZAR 2220 / ZAR 3331
|
20’ Special / 40’ Special per day
ZAR 987 / ZAR 1484
|
Maersk Import Demurrage
CPT & PLZ
|
Period
Day 7 onwards
|
20’ Dry / 40’ Dry per day
ZAR 196 / ZAR 392
|
20’ Reef / 40’ Reef per day
ZAR 2220 / ZAR 3331
|
20’ Special / 40’ Special per day
ZAR 2170 / ZAR 3257
|
Maersk Import Demurrage
CPT - Multi-purpose
|
Period
Day 5 & 6
|
20’ Dry / 40’ Dry per day
ZAR 196 / ZAR 392
|
20’ Reef / 40’ Reef per day
ZAR 2220 / ZAR 3331
|
20’ Special / 40’ Special per day
ZAR 196 / ZAR 392
|
Maersk Import Demurrage
CPT - Multi-purpose
|
Period
Day 7 Onwards
|
20’ Dry / 40’ Dry per day
ZAR 1274 / ZAR 2542
|
20’ Reef / 40’ Reef per day
ZAR 2220 / ZAR 3331
|
20’ Special / 40’ Special per day
ZAR 1274 / ZAR 2542
|
Maersk Import Demurrage
JNB
|
Period
Day 4 & 5
|
20’ Dry / 40’ Dry per day
ZAR 196 / ZAR 392
|
20’ Reef / 40’ Reef per day
ZAR 2220 / ZAR 3331
|
20’ Special / 40’ Special per day
ZAR 987 / ZAR 1484
|
Maersk Import Demurrage
JNB
|
Period
Day 6 onwards
|
20’ Dry / 40’ Dry per day
ZAR 196 / ZAR 392
|
20’ Reef / 40’ Reef per day
ZAR 2220 / ZAR 3331
|
20’ Special / 40’ Special per day
ZAR 2170 / ZAR 3257
|
Maersk Import Demurrage
EBS
|
Period
Day 5 & 6
|
20’ Dry / 40’ Dry per day
ZAR 196 / ZAR 392
|
20’ Reef / 40’ Reef per day
ZAR 2220 / ZAR 3331
|
20’ Special / 40’ Special per day
ZAR 196 / ZAR 392
|
Maersk Import Demurrage
EBS
|
Period
Day 7 onwards
|
20’ Dry / 40’ Dry per day
ZAR 1274 / ZAR 2542
|
20’ Reef / 40’ Reef per day
ZAR 2220 / ZAR 3331
|
20’ Special / 40’ Special per day
ZAR 1274 / ZAR 2542
|
Maersk Import Demurrage
DUR - Maydon Wharf
|
Period
Day 5 & 6
|
20’ Dry / 40’ Dry per day
ZAR 196 / ZAR 379
|
20’ Reef / 40’ Reef per day
ZAR 2220 / ZAR 3331
|
20’ Special / 40’ Special per day
ZAR 196 / ZAR 380
|
Maersk Import Demurrage
DUR - Maydon Wharf
|
Period
Day 7 onwards
|
20’ Dry / 40’ Dry per day
ZAR 1274 / ZAR 2542
|
20’ Reef / 40’ Reef per day
ZAR 2220 / ZAR 3331
|
20’ Special / 40’ Special per day
ZAR 1274 / ZAR 2542
|
Maersk Import Demurrage
DUR
|
Period
Day 4
|
20’ Dry / 40’ Dry per day
ZAR 1201 / ZAR 2406
|
20’ Reef / 40’ Reef per day
ZAR 2220 / ZAR 3331
|
20’ Special / 40’ Special per day
ZAR 1201 / ZAR 2406
|
Maersk Import Demurrage
DUR
|
Period
Day 5
|
20’ Dry / 40’ Dry per day
ZAR 1956 / ZAR 3914
|
20’ Reef / 40’ Reef per day
ZAR 2220 / ZAR 3331
|
20’ Special / 40’ Special per day
ZAR 1956 / ZAR 3914
|
Maersk Import Demurrage
DUR
|
Period
Day 6 onwards
|
20’ Dry / 40’ Dry per day
ZAR 3184 / ZAR 6362
|
20’ Reef / 40’ Reef per day
ZAR 4445 / ZAR 6667
|
20’ Special / 40’ Special per day
ZAR 3184 / ZAR 6362
|
How to view your last free day
Authorised parties will be able to view free days and last free date information for containers. See below quick guide on how to access this information.
All Durban ports
Class 1 / Class 4.1 (Un NO 1944) - all UN numbers require police permits; packing declarations and rail transport except class 1.4 UN 0012 (road haul only).
Direct Delivery to and from a rail truck is allowed except class 1.4 UN 0012 (road haul only). Not allowed to be stacked at the terminal.
The following documents are required to be sent through to us in order for us to apply for acceptance of the commodity with TNPA by eta -7 days.
- Police permits
- DGD
- Trem Cards
- Stamped CTO
- Transporter details (namely transporter name, contact person, after hours contact number, truck registration, driver’s name and driver’s identification number)
The above required documents must reach us by eta -7 days to prevent additional costs and penalties. If we cannot complete the application with TNPA by the required deadline, these units will not be discharged from the vessel and all costs to retain on board will be for the consignees account.
In addition to the above documents, we will require release to be taken of the shipment 48 hours prior to arrival in order for our port system (NAVIS) to reflect release prior to the vessel berthing. Please note any cargo not released within this 48 hours prior ETA for any commodities that must be discharged in daylight direct to vessel, we will perform carrier haulage to a depot to avoid putting TPT and the vessel at risk. Charges to be recovered from the client. This applies to stopped containers even if the release is received after the 48 hour mark.
New procedure:
Please note, as per Port’s request, we will be updating NAVIS with the Driver details as provided by you - the driver name, cell phone no, vehicle reg and wagon no. The purpose of this is that, just before the container is discharged, TPT will call the driver to ensure that he is in the queue waiting to collect. Please note, if the driver is NOT in the queue, or, if we cannot get hold of the contact person, the container will be retained on board.
This will be our process going forward as well - please ensure that all driver details issued are correct. If they are amended in any way, please ensure you contact Maerskline for us to update the system on your behalf.
Point Durban only
All other hazardous classes not listed on the advisory requires the following:
- Stamped CTO
- DGD
Important to Note:
A Cartage Booking Request (for Direct Delivery to and/or Upliftment from the Vessel and/or Delivery into &/or from Vessel Hazardous Stack) must be forwarded to the Terminal’s Cartage Booking Office prior to RMT(s) reporting to the Terminal.
When the driver reports to the terminal he must have a copy of the above-mentioned documents and all RMT(s) must have Harbour Carrier Permits. In addition they must have an Approved Cartage Booking Request.
The list below provides links to terminal storage last free day on the Transnet Website:
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