---
title: "Detention / Demurrage"
description: "What detention or demurrage is in road freight, why carriers charge it, and how shippers usually avoid it."
url: https://dealtilogistics.com/en/insights/detention-demurrage
language: en
date_published: 2026-09-22
date_modified: 2026-09-22
author: "Dealti Insights"
publisher: "Dealti Logistics"
---

# Detention / Demurrage

Detention (sometimes called demurrage on the road side) is a charge a carrier bills when a truck is held at a loading or unloading point longer than the agreed free time, compensating the carrier for a vehicle that cannot serve another shipment while it waits.

Free time and detention rates are not standardized; they are agreed per shipment or contract and vary by route and customer. Booking a realistic loading or unloading window, and having documents ready before the truck arrives, are the main ways shippers avoid it. See the [quote request](/en/get-offer) page to discuss loading conditions for a specific shipment.

---

Source: [Detention / Demurrage](https://dealtilogistics.com/en/insights/detention-demurrage) - Dealti Logistics.