Cargo Arrived at Port? What Can Go Wrong!
Published on May 11, 2025
Cargo Arrived at Port? Don’t Ignore It — Or It Could Cost You Everything
The most common mistake foreign trade professionals make: shipping the goods and then doing nothing, ignoring cargo pickup at the destination port. This is a minefield — don’t step on it!
Once the container free time expires, you’ll be hit with hundreds of dollars per day in demurrage and detention charges.
Some say “I’m doing FOB — destination charges are the buyer’s responsibility.” Not so simple! You’re the shipper on the bill of lading. If the customer delays or goes silent, the shipping line turns around and comes after you. Storage fees pile up like a snowball rolling downhill!
What’s worse — the new Maritime Code that took effect on May 1 this year explicitly states: if no one claims the cargo at the destination port, all costs and risks fall directly on the shipper!
If you exceed the deadline, customs may even auction off your goods!
So the moment your cargo arrives at port, push your customer to pick it up immediately, or find a reliable freight forwarder to monitor the situation for you. Don’t wait until the shipping line’s invoice arrives — by then, it’ll be too late to cry!
Follow me — I’m Lao Tao in international logistics, helping you avoid the pitfalls of foreign trade logistics!