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Demurrage and detention in the US

Houston demurrage: Bayport, Barbours Cut and last free day

Port Houston's container terminals are Bayport and Barbours Cut. The port publishes tariffs, a container availability portal (Lynx) and its own holiday schedule, which differs from the US federal holidays. Use the last free day calculator with port code USHOU and confirm the date against the port's calendar. We do not copy port tariffs.

The terminals and the tariffs

Port Houston operates two container terminals, per its gate information page:

Its tariffs page says the port has three tariffs: No. 8 for the Houston Ship Channel and public-owned wharves, No. 14 for Barbours Cut and No. 15 for Bayport. On 2026-10-21 the latest editions listed are effective September 1, 2026, and earlier editions are listed by date. The port also offers a price estimate tool there. We do not reproduce free time or rates; open the edition in force on the day your container was discharged.

A terminal tariff charge is a terminal schedule charge, separate from a carrier’s demurrage and detention tariff; see demurrage vs detention . The invoice has to name the rule behind the rate (46 CFR 541.6(c)(2)).

Where to check availability and pay

The port’s own holidays

The port’s hours and holiday schedule for the Bayport and Barbours Cut container terminals differs from the federal list. For 2026 it shows Good Friday (April 3) as gates closed, Memorial Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day as gates closed, and shortened gate hours on days such as Juneteenth, Independence Day (observed), the day after Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve. Saturdays and Sundays are closed, with an extended gate request form for access outside normal hours. A tariff that counts working days by “days the gate is open” can therefore count differently from one that skips federal holidays: read the tariff’s definition.

How the calculator handles Houston

Use port code USHOU in the calculator. It counts from the date you enter using the carrier’s published US tariff, prefers a port row over an all-ports row, and says “not calculated” when the tariff does not state when counting starts or we hold no tariff. For working-day tariffs it skips Sundays and the federal holidays below; it does not know Good Friday or any other terminal closure, so confirm the date with the carrier or in Lynx. Our Hapag-Lloyd rows include Houston.

Last free day calculator
Carrier pagesMaerskMSCCMA CGMCOSCOHapag-LloydONEEvergreenHMMYang MingZIMOOCL

If an invoice looks wrong:

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What a US invoice must show
Other portsLos Angeles and Long Beach New York and New Jersey Savannah

Rail from Houston: rail intermodal storage .

US federal holidays used for working days

Source: OPM federal holidays. Generated 2026-10-21.

Frequently asked questions

Where do I check if my container is available at Port Houston?

In Port Houston's Lynx customer service portal, which lists container availability queries, gate transactions and container holds, or in the port's mobile customer access page. Both are linked from the port's terminal toolbox.

Does Port Houston close on days that are not US federal holidays?

Its 2026 container terminal holiday schedule lists Good Friday (April 3) as gates closed, and shortened hours on days such as the day after Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve. The calculator skips only Sundays and US federal holidays, so check the port's schedule.

Which Port Houston tariffs exist?

Three: Tariff No. 8 (Houston Ship Channel and public-owned wharves), No. 14 (Barbours Cut Container Terminal) and No. 15 (Bayport Container Terminal). The port lists the editions by effective date.

Sources

Updated: