Shipping to and from United States of America

FREE TIME: “Free Time” is the period agreed between the Carrier and the Merchant for which Demurrage and Detention shall not be paid by the Merchant.

DETENTION:Detention is the daily charge against the ocean carrier's equipment, assessed to the shipper or consignee ,for the use of the equipment beyond allowed free time, as stipulated per tariff or contract. In the event the Carrier is requested to bill an alternate party, and Carrier agrees, the Shipper or Consignee must inform the Carrier that the alternate party will act solely as an agent . Carrier will make commercially reasonable efforts to issue all invoices to the alternate party, however in the event Carrier is not able to do so, invoices alternatively will be issued to the Shipper or Consignee. In all cases, the alternate party is acting solely as an agent of the Shipper or Consignee with respect to the detention invoices. The Shipper or Consignee shall remain responsible for all charges due.

DEMURRAGE: is the daily charge assessed to the shipper or for use of the land and equipment services provided at the carrier’s load/discharge port, or inland container yard (CY) facility, when the cargo remains in such facilities beyond the permitted free time as stipulated per tariff or contract. At rail ramps where Carrier allows storage to be paid directly to facilities for land use according to the ramp’s terms and conditions, Carrier demurrage is the daily charge assessed to the shipper for use of equipment only when the cargo remains in such facilities beyond the permitted free time as stipulated per tariff or contract. In the event a party other than the consignee or shipper pays a demurrage charge, they are doing so voluntarily and by paying represent that they are acting as an agent of the shipper or consignee. In addition, if the Carrier is requested to bill an alternate party, and Carrier agrees, the Shipper or Consignee must inform Carrier that the alternate party will act solely as an agent . Carrier will make commercially reasonable efforts to issue all invoices to the alternate party, however in the event Carrier is not able to do so, invoices alternatively will be issued to the Shipper or Consignee. In all cases, the alternate party is acting solely as an agent of the Shipper or Consignee with respect to the detention invoices. The Shipper or Consignee shall remain responsible for all charges due.

The purposes of the Carrier’s policies regarding Demurrage include incentivizing shippers & consignees to pick up cargo, offset additional costs that the event has imposed on the carrier that are beyond its reasonable control, covering the additional cost of keeping the cargo safe and secure once free time has expired, incentivizing shippers & consignees to not wait until the last day of free time to pick up cargo, to promote the use of terminal appointments, and other reasons that might be dictated by various factual situations from time.

Useful links:

• Book your shipments online via SPOT at a fixed price and with a loading guarantee to know when they will arrive. Maersk Spot now also includes extendable Free time options. Start Now.
  • Note that SPOT terms are those accepted at the time the booking is confirmed and are not necessarily aligned with the standard tariff. For details how to extend your DnD Free time at destination, click here. DnD Tariff information can be found via Instant Price Search or during booking process.
• To view free days and last free date information for containers, along with pickup and return location basis click here: D&D Calculator
• Please find the Activity Location codes for Demurrage and Detention Invoices below.

Tariff

• Reefer demurrage includes plug-in/electricity charges.
• Reefer container with IMO follows Reefer.
• Non-operating reefer (NOR) is considered as Dry Container.
  Non-operating reefer (NOR) is considered as Dry Container for both Demurrage and Detention.
• Shipper's own containers (SOC) and Tanks are not subject to detention and are subject to demurrage at some locations.
• For Shipper’s own containers (SOC) and Tanks at non NWK and Miami locations, we have a single SOC DMR rate (no matter cntr/cargo type). At NWK and Miami locations, we have a separate SOC DMR rate and a Tank DMR rate.

Import Demurrage

Once the freetime period ends, the demurrage clock will start and a daily charge is assessed and must be cleared to Maersk or applicable Ocean Terminals or CY Locations prior to container release.

• At rail ramp locations, all storage is settled directly with the rail provider according to the ramps terms and conditions.
• At inland port locations owned by ports (ie. Greer, SC and Front Royal,VA) free time and demurrage charges are according to Maersk’s tariff levels for ocean terminals.
• In addition, for CY deliveries at rail ramps collecting storage according to the ramps terms and conditions, demurrage will be assessed by Maersk for equipment use only after the free time as indicated below.
• When a facility is closed for a full working day during the freetime period, the day will not count against the cargo freetime or for demurrage charges. Partial day closures are considered as a full working day and count towards freetime and demurrage charges.
• Please check with the terminal location for all terminal pickup procedures and to validate cargo is available for pickup. Our terminal partner websites and additional information on demurrage payment can be found here.

Import Detention

Shipper owned containers (SOC) must NOT be returned empty to Maersk at any terminal/depot/rail facility.
For any SOC(s) returned empty to a Maersk location, an additional $2000 USD per container will be post-billed to the consignee on the bill of lading by Maersk.

• When the final destination is within the US, the Consignee details must indicate the actual party name and US address of the owner of the goods. The only exception is “To Order” TPDocs. If the Consignee is “To Order” of a bank or “To Order” of a party other than owner of the cargo, then the First Notify Party must be actual owner of cargo with their US address.
• If neither the Consignee nor First Notify Party is the actual owner of the cargo, then a House TPDoc (NH) needs to be submitted (either by the Shipper if they are automated NVOCC, or by Maersk on their behalf if NVOCC is Non Automated) to show the ultimate consignee of the goods.
• P.O. Box addresses are not acceptable for Shipper, Consignee, or Notify Parties.
• Any Original Bills of Lading that would previously be sent to our office in Charlotte, NC should now be sent by express courier to:
• Norton Lilly International
  Documentation Department
  One St. Louis Centre
  Suite 2003
  Mobile, AL 36602
• Once received at Norton Lilly, kindly allow one full business day for processing.

• Used tires as a commodity are strictly forbidden due to EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) regulations.
• Hazardous waste shipments as defined by the Basel Convention are not accepted into the United States.
• Maersk will not arrange a store door (SD) delivery to the personal residence of a private citizen.
• Personal Effects or Household Goods cannot be railed cross border, either from Canada to USA, or from USA to Canada. Door deliveries for personal effects or household goods are prohibited in the USA. Personal effects shall only be accepted if cargo owner has an assigned forwarder to assist with the customs clearance at destination.
• All containers in transit to, or with a final destination of the US (including San Juan, Puerto Rico) require HIGH SECURITY SEALS (plastic seals are not allowed).
• A manifest must be submitted at least 24 hours prior to vessel arrival for ALL cargo transiting the US per US Customs & Border Protection regulations, whether cargo is discharging or Freight Remaining on Board (FROB) at US ports (the “24-Hour Rule”). There are NO EXCEPTIONS to the 24-Hour Rule.
• “Electronic Waste” as a commodity is not accepted for import into the US.