USA Carrier’s Haulage Demurrage and Storage Update

As a follow up to our previous customer letter, we would like to provide you with an update on our policy regarding import storage / demurrage in the U.S.

Hapag-Lloyd announced in the previous letter that if our customers were able to satisfy the below requirements five calendar days before the expiration of free time, they would not be responsible for import storage and demurrage related to truck power delays as this would allow us to secure timely trucking appointments and keep cargo flowing.

• Original Bill of Lading (if applicable) received by carrier.
• Credit or freight payment received by carrier.
  
• DO: Complete Delivery Order/instructions from the customer received by carrier.
• Customs clearance received with no other regulatory restrictions.
• Customer facility is able to receive the container within the designated free time.

We are now in a situation where we can no longer continue this policy of absorbing storage/demurrage for import carrier haulage door moves to any locations in the United States.

This will apply for containers gating in full at origin on or after August 1, 2021, where customers continue to choose Hapag-Lloyd to perform the carrier haulage door-delivery.

For carrier haulage moves from inland rail ramps to door, customers will need to guarantee storage directly with rail providers as needed prior to picking up their container(s) – no additional demurrage will apply if customer still meets the five-day rule mentioned above.

For carrier haulage moves from marine terminals to door, customers will be subject to Hapag-Lloyd demurrage.

For containers that gated in prior to, August 1, 2021 the former policy will continue to apply. We are providing advance notice of this change to allow customers the opportunity to choose to book on a merchant haulage basis to these markets if this option is preferred. Customers may also change shipments to merchant haulage with no change fee.

We will continually to monitor the truck capacity situation and adjust our policy as required.