If your commercial cargo is left at the terminal, you may be at risk of incurring demurrage fees. Proper planning will help to ensure you avoid this scenario. MFS Freight Service LLC of Honolulu, HI, has provided some more information about demurrage planning.

What Is Demurrage?

Demurrage is a fee that is levied against shippers who keep their cargo at a terminal too long. While most ports allow four to seven days of free storage, all terminals and carriers have their own rules and set their own rates. There are several reasons people get charged demurrage fees, including miscommunication between the shipper and transporters, backups at the terminal, and delays getting their cargo through customs.

What Is Demurrage Planning?

The best way to avoid demurrage fees is by carefully planning the loading and unloading of your freight, called demurrage planning. Understanding some of the reasons why people have their cargo held and how to avoid those issues will help to ensure you don’t fall into the same problem. The fees increase the longer you keep your cargo at the terminal, so getting it out as quickly as possible is of great importance.

How Do You Avoid Demurrage Fees?

Demurrage planning will help to make sure importing and exporting your cargo goes smoothly, allowing you to avoid these fees. Some planning tips that will keep you from additional bills include sharing cargo and shipping information with everyone involved in the shipment, creating a backup plan in case of delays at the terminal, and having all your paperwork completed and in order before going through customs.

If you’re not prepared for the shipment of goods through a terminal, you could be at risk of demurrage fees. The best way to avoid this situation is to practice demurrage planning. MFS Freight Service LLC has been providing shipping services for over 50 years and can help ensure the transport of your cargo goes smoothly. For more information, call (808) 847-3015, or visit their website.