GlossaryEN1 min readUpdated: Jun 26, 2026
Port storage fee
An importer receives customs clearance, but the container has been sitting at the terminal for days, accumulating charges: that is a port storage fee.
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Definition & Explanation
An importer receives customs clearance, but the container has been sitting at the terminal for days, accumulating charges: that is a port storage fee. Port storage fees are levied by a port or terminal operator for holding containers or general cargo once the free storage period – commonly called free days – has expired after discharge. Rates are port-specific and typically tiered, escalating the longer goods remain on the terminal. The most common triggers are missing or late documents, customs examinations, and the importer's own capacity constraints. Port storage fees are distinct from demurrage, which the shipping line charges for detaining the container beyond the contractually agreed free period, and from the Terminal Handling Charge (THC), which covers the physical handling of the container at the terminal.
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