Drayage Demurrage & Per Diem: Dual Deadlines, Return Check and Evidence Pack

Every container runs on two free-time clocks — the terminal one (demurrage) and the carrier one (per diem). See both deadlines on the order, check the actual return against each, preview the possible fees, and export a one-click evidence pack when a charge is disputed.

Demurrage and per diem are the two fees that bite when a container stays out too long — but they are charged by different parties against different deadlines. Demurrage is the terminal clock: it runs while the container sits at the terminal, and its last free day is the terminal LFD. Per diem is the carrier clock: it runs while you hold the carrier’s equipment, and its last free day is the carrier LFD. The two dates are often different, so Docklify always shows them separately — on the tracking page, and now also on the order detail page. Each order inside an invoice also carries the same summary in the invoice detail data, so the billing side sees the same figures.

Step 1: Read the two deadlines on the order#

1. Open Drayage → Orders and open the order. The "Demurrage / Per diem (dual LFD)" card sits above the charges list.
2. Each clock gets its own row: the deadline date, how many days are left (or how many days overdue, in red), and that clock’s fee estimate on the right.
3. If the carrier LFD is not on file, the carrier row falls back to the terminal LFD and says so with a small badge; a date worked out from the free days is badged "derived from free days". A badge always tells you the date is a stand-in, never the real thing in disguise.
4. The same two deadlines appear on the container tracking page, and each order inside an invoice carries the same summary in the invoice detail data — the numbers are calculated once, the same way, everywhere.

Step 2: Check the actual return and the fee estimate#

• The card shows the actual return — the return time on the order, backed by the empty-returned event in the container timeline. Each clock is judged separately: "returned on time", "returned late" (with the late days), "not returned — overdue", or "not returned — still in free time".
• Once a container is returned, its numbers stop moving: the assessment is frozen at the return date, so what you check today is what you will check next month.
• The estimate block is labelled "Fee estimate (not final billing)" on purpose. It shows the two clocks’ estimates added together, plus a "daily-billing view" figure that counts only the clock currently accruing. Final demurrage and per diem charges are accrued day by day by the system and settled monthly against your rate sheet — use the estimate to act early, not as the bill.

Step 3: Export the evidence pack when a charge is disputed#

1. On the order, click "Evidence pack" in the demurrage / per diem card. The pack opens with the event timeline, GPS points and attachments for this one container.
2. What is inside: the order and container details; the two deadlines side by side with the actual return; every order event and container event in time order (container events are append-only and cannot be edited after the fact); the GPS points recorded at each event (a point per event check-in, not a continuous track); the order documents (POD, bill of lading, TIR, EIR) and the photos attached to events, such as seal photos; and the charges on the order.
3. Click "Print / Save PDF" to get a clean printable copy for the carrier or your customer. If part of the pack could not be loaded, the pack says so in a warnings line instead of silently leaving a gap.

Docklify features used in this article#

• Dual LFD card on the order (terminal LFD + carrier LFD, days left, return check, fee estimate) — Drayage → Orders → open an order (/drayage/orders)
• Dual deadlines on container tracking — Drayage → Tracking (/drayage/tracking)
• Per-order dual LFD summary in invoice detail data — open the order to view its dual LFD card (Drayage → Orders)
• Evidence pack (timeline, GPS points, attachments, deadline comparison, print / PDF) — order detail → Demurrage / per diem card → Evidence pack