Free Time is the period after a container becomes available for pickup during which the importer can take and return the container without incurring demurrage or detention charges.
U.S. ports typically grant 4–5 calendar days of free time, but the figure varies by terminal, by carrier, and by the importer's negotiated contract. Two separate clocks run:
- Terminal free time (demurrage clock) — starts when the container is "available" (discharged from vessel, customs released, freight paid). Stops when the container is gated out.
- Carrier free time (detention clock) — starts when the container leaves the terminal. Stops when the empty is returned.
The two clocks often overlap. A container that sits 3 days in the terminal and 3 days at the warehouse may use 6 total days of "free time" against two separate budgets.
What stops or pauses free time varies:
- Weekends and holidays count for some carriers and not for others — this is in the carrier's tariff
- CBP holds (exam, hold, manifest issues) generally do not pause demurrage at most terminals
- Bad-weather port closures can pause it depending on tariff
The Federal Maritime Commission's 2022 final rule on demurrage and detention billing (49 CFR Part 541) requires carriers to make their free-time terms transparent in writing on the invoice — a response to industry-wide complaints during the 2020–2022 supply chain crisis.