Slow international payments
Cross-border supplier payments can take several business days through standard bank channels.
Demurrage calculator for importers and exporters
Free Demurrage Calculator for Importers and Exporters
Estimate container delay costs across major trade corridors and understand how supplier payment timing, document release, and FX settlement can affect your demurrage exposure.
FINTRAC MSB · Bank of Canada RPAA PSP · UK services through authorised partners where required
Demurrage cost estimate
Estimated demurrage cost (per shipment)£450
- Cost per container
- £450
- Annual exposure
- £5,400
- Chargeable delayed days
- 3
- Containers × shipments/yr
- 1 × 12
Actual charges vary by shipping line, port, terminal, contract terms, free time, cargo type, and trade lane.
Demurrage is not only a shipping problem. It is often a payment timing problem.
- Payment delay
- Document delay
- Customs / collection delay
- Demurrage cost
When supplier payment is delayed, documents may be released late. When documents are released late, customs clearance and collection can be delayed. When collection is delayed, demurrage starts building daily.
Read the demurrage and detention guideWorking capital impact
Common risk factors
Supplier waits for cleared funds
Shipping documents are often released only after payment is confirmed.
Bill of lading released late
Late document release pushes back customs filing and container collection.
Customs documents incomplete
Missing or corrected paperwork can hold clearance and port exit.
Weekend or bank holiday delays
Non-working days still count toward free time at many terminals.
Poor shipment visibility
Without clear status and free-time awareness, teams react late to port deadlines.
Reduce payment-related demurrage risk
Unicorn Currencies helps import/export businesses handle international supplier payments with clearer FX pricing, payment execution support, supplier payout workflow, payment references, transaction proof, and treasury desk support. This can help reduce delays caused by slow or unclear payment handling.
Timelines depend on corridor, beneficiary bank, compliance review, and supplier processes. Unicorn Currencies does not guarantee specific settlement speed or that demurrage will be avoided.
Moving regular containers and paying overseas suppliers?
If your business moves containers across major trade corridors and pays overseas suppliers in foreign currency, Unicorn Currencies can review your payment workflow and FX exposure.
Frequently asked questions
Demurrage is a charge applied when a container stays at the port terminal beyond the agreed free time. Rates, free days, and escalation tiers depend on the shipping line, port, terminal, and contract.