Customs Detention and the Container Charges That Follow
When Customs holds your cargo, the shipping line’s clock does not stop. We help importers in Mumbai document the hold, protect free time, and challenge charges that build up through no fault of their own.
What is customs detention?
In practice the term covers two linked things. First, Customs holds goods, for examination, a valuation or classification query, testing, a pending approval or a wider investigation. Second, because the goods cannot move, the container charges that follow, which are the part that lands on your invoice.
While the hold lasts, the shipping line does not stop counting. Depending on where the container is at the time, it bills demurrage (container inside the terminal) or detention (container outside it).
Since the delay is driven by an authority rather than by you, a documented hold is among the stronger reasons to ask for relief.
Common reasons Customs holds cargo
Physical examination
Selected consignments are opened and checked, sometimes in full.
Value or classification query
Customs asks for more proof on price, tariff heading or origin.
Pending regulatory approval
Goods wait on a licence, certificate or no-objection from another agency.
Sampling and lab tests
Testing can add days or weeks, and the timing is not in your control.
Intelligence alert or investigation
A wider check, which may last longer and may involve counsel.
Document discrepancies
A mismatch between papers can pause assessment until it is explained.
Where the container is decides the charge
The same Customs hold can produce different bills depending on where the container sits.
| Container location during the hold | Charge | Billed by |
|---|---|---|
| Inside the port or terminal | Demurrage and terminal storage | Shipping line and terminal |
| Outside the terminal, with you, a transporter or a warehouse | Detention | Shipping line |
| At a CFS or ICD | CFS storage or ground rent | CFS or ICD operator |
Tariffs and free days differ by line, port and container type. Always read the terms on your own invoice.
What to do in the first 48 hours of a hold
What you do early is what you can prove later.
- Tell the shipping line in writing that Customs has placed a hold
- Ask for free time to be extended until the hold is lifted
- Save the Customs query, examination order or hold notice
- Respond to every Customs query the same day
- Keep a dated log of calls, emails and officer names
- Confirm with the terminal where the container is physically held
- Send us the invoice and dates before the bill grows
- Avoid paying the invoice until the dispute position is clear
How we help when Customs detains cargo
Where an adjudication or appeal is involved, we work alongside your customs counsel and focus on the charges side.
Document the hold
We build a dated record of when the hold began, what was asked and when you replied.
Calculate what the hold cost
We separate days under the hold from days that fall outside it.
Write to the line and terminal
We request a waiver or reduction for the hold period, backed by the record.
Follow through
We chase the response, negotiate where needed and get the result in writing.
Frequently asked questions
Does a Customs hold qualify for a waiver?
It can support a strong request, because the delay was driven by an authority. There is no automatic right to a waiver, and the shipping line or terminal makes the final decision.
Who pays if Customs holds the cargo and later clears it?
The importer is normally billed first under the shipping contract. A documented hold gives you grounds to ask for the charges for that period to be reduced or waived.
What if the goods are seized?
That is a legal process handled with your customs counsel. We can assist with the container and storage charges that run alongside it, but we do not replace legal representation.
How long can Customs hold cargo?
It varies with the reason for the hold and the case. Ask your customs broker for the current position, and record every date from the start.
Will the shipping line extend free time during a hold?
Sometimes. Request it in writing as soon as the hold begins, and attach the Customs record. A request made before free time ends has the best chance.
What documents do I need?
The Customs query or examination order, Bill of Entry, Delivery Order, the line or terminal invoice, container dates and your emails with each party.
Share your invoice. Get a straight answer.
Send the charges, container numbers and a short note on what caused the delay. We will tell you whether the bill looks contestable and what we would do next.
- +91-9004826348
- info@demurrageanddetentionconsultant.in
- 18/E, 2nd Floor, Rajabahadur Mansion, Ambalal Doshi Marg, Near BSE, Fort, Mumbai - 400001, India
