Breakbulk shippers feeling the pinch from increased detention charges

In a hot breakbulk market, carriers are asking for — and getting — far higher detention fees to cover their potential losses when shippers delay loading or picking up their cargo.

Breakbulk detention rates are running $30,000 to $50,000 per day now, as opposed to $8,000 to $12,000 per day prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Photo credit: Hari Mahidhar/Shutterstock.com.

In a hot breakbulk market, carriers are asking for — and getting — far higher detention fees to cover their potential losses when shippers delay loading or picking up their cargo.