What Are the Demurrage Charges at Major Sea Ports in USA? Demurrage Free Days Across the Largest Sea Ports in the USA- GoComet

In our series so far, we have covered “what are demurrage charges and how to avoid demurrage charges” besides talking about “new methods to reduce demurrage detention charges”. This article will discuss the number of free days available across all the major sea ports in USA that can be used to avoid paying hefty demurrage costs. So, if you are interested in reducing your shipping costs and avoiding demurrage and detention fees, keep reading!

There is a list of seaports in the USA that are commercially brimming with import and export containers. The US being one of the major destinations for logistics, has cargo coming in and going out for countries all across the world. This may lead to various port congestions, port delays, and hefty demurrage charges and detention charges.

Usually demurrage and detention charges occur due to various factors that are beyond the control of the shipper. Port Congestions is one such factor. With the help of a free tool on real-time port congestion in USA, it can be a easier to be prepared in advance before shipping your goods and follow the best practices to reduce demurrage costs.

America’s landmass is mostly covered by maritime activity from the United States of America. It covers 75% of its freight transit that uses marine routes. In 2019, a record 2363 million MT of cargo was handled in 50 ports around the USA. USA seaport map is rather extensive and it may become difficult to research all the free days across the list of largest sea ports in USA.

To aid this difficulty, we have brought to you a well-researched list of demurrage-free days available across all the seaports in USA. It is interesting to note that most of the carriers do not provide a lot of free days. The demurrage detention costs and free days can be different for different carriers and ports. Make sure you have thorough data to curb your shipping expenses.

Tacoma, Washington (USTIW)

Pierce County’s seat is Port of Tacoma in western Washington, United States. It is situated on Commencement Bay’s Puget Sound shoreline, 25 nautical miles south-southwest of Seattle’s port and roughly 35 nautical miles northeast of Olympia’s port.

Carrier Line	Container	Free Days
Safmarine	All Containers	0
Hapag	20	5
Hapag	40	5
Hapag	40 HC	5
Hapag	20 Reefer	2
Hapag	40 Reefer	2
Hapag	40 HC Reefer	2

Los Angeles, California, USA (USLAX)

The Main Sea Port of the US has a 53-foot-long waterway and 7,500 acres of land and water. America’s Port is another name for the Los Angeles port. The port of Los Angeles is the nation’s agricultural and marine commercial hub, with a population of over 12.9 million.

Carrier Line	Container	Free Days
Hapag	20	5
Hapag	40	5
Hapag	40 HC	5
Hapag	20 Reefer	2
Hapag	40 Reefer	2
Hapag	40 HC Reefer	2

Charleston, USA (USCHS)

Charleston port, which is in South Carolina, is divided into North Charleston, Charleston, and Mount Pleasant. It is capable of handling automobiles, non-containerized freight, project cargo, containers, and rolling stock and is owned and run by South Carolina Ports Authority. Additionally, it offers resources to help cruise ship operations.

Carrier Line	Container	Free Days
Safmarine	All Containers	0
Hapag	20	5
Hapag	40	5
Hapag	40 HC	5
Hapag	20 Reefer	2
Hapag	40 Reefer	2
Hapag	40 HC Reefer	2

Seattle, United States (USSEA)

The largest port in the US state of Washington is the Port of Seattle. The Olympic Mountains to the west and Lake Washington and the Cascades to the east encircle this Puget Sound location on Elliott Bay. King County is headquartered in Seattle, the biggest city in the Pacific Northwest. The Port of Seattle is located 220 kilometers (by air, not road) to the north-northeast of the Port of Portland in the State of Oregon and approximately 72 nautical miles southeast of the Port of Victoria on Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada.

Carrier Line	Container	Free Days
Safmarine	All Containers	0
Hapag	20	5
Hapag	40	5
Hapag	40 HC	5
Hapag	20 Reefer	2
Hapag	40 Reefer	2
Hapag	40 HC Reefer	2

Newark (NJ), USA (USEWR)

The United States Port Newark Container Terminal (PNCT), which is located in Port Newark, New Jersey, and which now handles more than 1.3 million TEUs, is called Newark (NJ) (USEWR). PNCT was able to extend its lease with the Port Authority of New York/New Jersey till 2050.

Carrier Line	Container	Free Days
Safmarine	All Containers	0
Hapag	20	5
Hapag	40	5
Hapag	40 HC	5
Hapag	20 Reefer	2
Hapag	40 Reefer	2
Hapag	40 HC Reefer	2

Long Beach, USA (USLGB)

With manufacturing, services, oil refining, food processing, and marine research as its main industries, water transportation for the Long Beach port is crucial for business operations. As a result, the Port of Long Beach, also known as the Harbour Department of the City of Long Beach, employs thousands of people.

Carrier Line	Container	Free Days
Safmarine	All Containers	0
Hapag	20	5
Hapag	40	5
Hapag	40 HC	5
Hapag	20 Reefer	2
Hapag	40 Reefer	2
Hapag	40 HC Reefer	2

Savannah, United States (USSAV)

The Port of Savannah is located near the mouth of the Savannah River in southeast Georgia, close to the state’s boundary with South Carolina, along the Atlantic Ocean coast. A significant commercial port and Chatham County’s administrative center is the Port of Savannah. About 91 nautical miles (135 kilometers or 84 miles straight) to the southwest of the Port of Charleston, South Carolina is the Port of Savannah.

Carrier Line	Container	Free Days
Safmarine	All Containers	0
Hapag	20	5
Hapag	40	5
Hapag	40 HC	5
Hapag	20 Reefer	2
Hapag	40 Reefer	2
Hapag	40 HC Reefer	2

New York (USNYC)

The United States Port of New York, also known as New York (USNYC), is one of the most significant commercial and industrial hubs in North America. Nearly 79 000 hectares of land are occupied by this massive port, which is home to more than 8.2 million people. Additionally, the port has one of the greatest regional economies in the country.

Carrier Line	Container	Free Days
Safmarine	All Containers	0
Hapag	20	5
Hapag	40	5
Hapag	40 HC	5
Hapag	20 Reefer	2
Hapag	40 Reefer	2
Hapag	40 HC Reefer	2

HOUSTON, USA (USHOU)

The Port of Houston is an inland port of USA on Texas’ Gulf of Mexico coast. Approximately 20 nautical miles to the south-southeast across Galveston Bay, it is connected to the Gulf via the Houston Ship Channel and the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway at the Port of Galveston. The Port of Houston is located around 500 kilometers west-southwest of the Port of New Orleans in Louisiana and roughly 190 nautical miles northeast of the Texas Port of Corpus Christi.

Carrier Line	Container	Free Days
Safmarine	All Containers	0
Hapag	20	5
Hapag	40	5
Hapag	40 HC	5
Hapag	20 Reefer	2
Hapag	40 Reefer	2
Hapag	40 HC Reefer	2

Philadelphia, United States (USPHL)

In southeast Pennsylvania, at the confluence of the Delaware and Schuylkill Rivers, is where the Port of Philadelphia is located. The Port of Philadelphia, the largest city in Pennsylvania and the fifth-largest city in the US, is located 123 kilometers southwest of the Port of Newark in New Jersey and 143 kilometers northeast of the Port of Baltimore in Maryland.

Carrier Line	Container	Free Days
Safmarine	All Containers	0
Hapag	20	5
Hapag	40	5
Hapag	40 HC	5
Hapag	20 Reefer	2
Hapag	40 Reefer	2
Hapag	40 HC Reefer	2

United States Minneapolis

The seaport of Minneapolis Bulk-Loading Dock is owned by the City of Minneapolis and run by River Services Inc. for the transportation of grain and other dry bulk goods including coal, feed, and coal. At the back of the Dock is a grain elevator with four tanks that can hold 300,000 bushels in total. Seven lines that service the Port of Minneapolis terminal at the back of the Dock are combined with one surface rail track on the bank.

Carrier Line	Container	Free Days
Safmarine	All Containers	0
Hapag	20	5
Hapag	40	5
Hapag	40 HC	5
Hapag	20 Reefer	2
Hapag	40 Reefer	2
Hapag	40 HC Reefer	2

A nation’s economy depends heavily on its ports. Throughout 90% of all trade is conducted by water, and ports play a major role in ensuring that commodities are transported around the globe. Some of the busiest ports among the world’s major container ports are in the United States. These significant US ports are essential for promoting international trade. The busiest container ports in the U.S. provide huge employment opportunities and safely handle billions of dollars’ worth of goods, making them important economic hubs.