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Rotterdam Demurrage Charges — Live Waiting Cost
A free, near real-time counter of the waiting-cost exposure building up at Port of Rotterdam from commercial vessels currently held at anchor, refreshed every 3 minutes from AIS vessel position data. The figure is the market value of the lost waiting time — not a demurrage invoice, which only begins once contractual laytime is used up. Below the counter you will find typical demurrage rates per day by vessel type, an adjustable free-laytime and day-rate calculator, how the charge is calculated, and how the current queue compares with normal conditions.
How the estimate works
PortInsight counts commercial vessels — IMO-registered ships of 100 m or more — anchored inside the Port of Rotterdam geofence from AIS position data, measures the hours each vessel has been holding (capped at 72 hours per vessel), applies baseline hourly laytime cost references per vessel type, and accumulates the running cost. Only open anchor events — ships that are at anchor right now — are counted; historical events, berth time, terminal storage and container detention are excluded. Because notice of readiness and laytime terms are private contract data, the clock starts at anchoring, which is an observable and comparable proxy. Figures are indicative and intended for planning and benchmarking, not invoicing.
From waiting time to demurrage
Demurrage becomes payable only after the free time (laytime) agreed in the charter party has been consumed and notice of readiness has been tendered and accepted. The live page therefore separates two numbers: total waiting cost for the whole anchorage queue, and the share of it that would be demurrage-exposed under the free laytime and day rate you enter yourself. Set free laytime to zero and you see the full cost of congestion; set it to 24 or 48 hours and you see only the tail that typically turns into a claim.
Typical demurrage rates by vessel type
| Vessel type | Indicative hourly rate | Per day (24h) |
|---|---|---|
| LNG carrier | $750 | $18,000 |
| Crude / product tanker | $680 | $16,320 |
| Container ship | $520 | $12,480 |
| Bulk carrier | $450 | $10,800 |
| General cargo | $400 | $9,600 |
Rates are planning baselines drawn from published market references (Baltic Exchange, Clarksons Research 2024–25). Contracted demurrage rates vary with vessel size, charter party terms and freight market conditions.
Why demurrage builds up at Rotterdam
Waiting cost accumulates whenever arrivals outpace available berth capacity. Berth congestion, labour or equipment shortages, tidal and pilotage windows, weather stoppages and late cargo documentation all push vessels into the anchorage, where every extra hour is billable. Because the counter is derived from live AIS positions rather than monthly statistics, a build-up is visible within minutes rather than weeks.
Frequently asked questions about demurrage
What is demurrage?
Demurrage is the charge a charterer or cargo owner pays when a vessel or container is held beyond the agreed free time (laytime). At a port it is the cost of a ship waiting instead of working cargo, normally billed per day or part-day.
Is the number on this page actual demurrage?
No. It is the estimated market value of the time commercial vessels are currently losing at anchor outside Port of Rotterdam — waiting-cost exposure. Contractual demurrage only starts once the laytime agreed in the charter party has been used up, so the billable amount is normally lower. The page lets you apply your own free laytime and day rate.
Why is the clock started at anchoring and not at notice of readiness?
Notice of readiness and laytime terms are private contract data and are not visible in AIS. What is observable is the moment a vessel drops anchor inside the port area, so PortInsight uses that as a consistent, comparable proxy across ports and vessels.
How much does demurrage cost at Port of Rotterdam?
It depends on vessel type and charter terms. As a planning baseline PortInsight applies roughly $750/hour for LNG carriers, $680/hour for tankers, $520/hour for container ships and $450/hour for bulk carriers — about $10,800 to $18,000 per day per vessel. The counter on this page multiplies those rates by the hours each vessel has actually been at anchor at Port of Rotterdam.
What is the difference between demurrage and detention?
Demurrage covers time the vessel or container sits inside the terminal beyond free time. Detention covers equipment kept outside the terminal — for example a container held at a warehouse after it has been picked up.
How is the live figure calculated?
PortInsight counts commercial vessels (IMO-registered, 100 m or longer) anchored inside the Port of Rotterdam geofence from AIS position data, measures how long each has been at anchor, caps the accrual at 72 hours per vessel, applies a baseline hourly laytime cost per vessel type, and sums the result. Berth time, terminal storage and container detention are not included. The page refreshes every 3 minutes.
What is the demurrage forecast?
The forecast projects the waiting cost forward 24 hours, 3 days and 7 days based on the current congestion trend (linear regression of the last 7 days of hourly snapshots). It is useful for planning purposes — when you arrive in 48 hours, how much will waiting cost you? The 24-hour forecast is always free; the 3-day and 7-day forecasts require a free account.
Is this an invoice-grade number?
No. It is an indicative benchmark for planning, reporting and congestion monitoring. Actual demurrage depends on the charter party, notice of readiness, vessel size, laytime allowance and market rates on the day.
How can shippers reduce demurrage costs?
Track anchorage queues before the vessel arrives, use the demurrage forecast to time your arrival window, book berth and haulage windows early, clear customs documentation ahead of arrival, and monitor congestion trends so you can shift volume to a less congested port or sailing when waiting times spike.