Ports, Terminals & Transit
Free Time
Also known as: Free Days
Free time is the grace period a carrier or terminal grants for using its equipment or occupying its space before charges begin to accrue — for example the days allowed to pick up an import container from the terminal or to return an empty box after unloading. Managing free time is central to controlling demurrage and detention: efficient clearance, drayage, and unloading keep a shipment within its free days, while any delay converts idle time into escalating fees. Free-time allowances vary by carrier, port, and contract, so shippers negotiate and monitor them closely.
The days before demurrage and detention begin, and the number people negotiate least and need most. Free time granted at booking is far cheaper than the charges avoided later, and a customs hold consumes it just as fast as a slow truck.
Related terms
Reviewed by a licensed customs broker. Definitions are general information, not legal or customs advice for a particular shipment. Duty rates, tariff programs and agency requirements change frequently.