Two ports, two tariffs
The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach sit side by side but publish separate tariffs. Charges can come from the carrier, under its demurrage and detention tariff, or from the terminal operator, under a terminal schedule: federal rules define free time and wharf demurrage as terms of the terminal schedule (46 CFR 525.1(c)(9) and (c)(23)); see demurrage vs detention . Which applies to your box is on your invoice, which must name the rule behind the rate (46 CFR 541.6(c)(2)).
- Port of Los Angeles. Tariff No. 4 is listed on the port’s page as effective March 1, 2026. It has a Section 7, “Free Time, Demurrage, and Storage”, and the same page links a 2026 free day calendar and demurrage and storage rates charts. We do not reproduce them.
- Port of Long Beach. Under CargoNav on polb.com the port lists a Demurrage Calendar, a Port Tariff, gate hours, a public Track and Trace and a Customer Dashboard.
The container terminals
| Port | Terminal | Where to look (official sites) |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | APM Terminals Pacific | apmterminals.com , with an “Import availability” lookup |
| Los Angeles | Everport Terminal Services | etslink.com |
| Los Angeles | Fenix Marine Services | fenixmarineservices.com |
| Los Angeles | TraPac | trapac.com, Los Angeles , with an LFD and demurrage page |
| Los Angeles | Yusen Terminals | Site listed on the port’s terminal page |
| Los Angeles | WBCT (LA TiL terminal and the China Shipping holding terminal) | wbct.us |
| Long Beach | Long Beach Container Terminal (Pier E) | lbct.com |
| Long Beach | International Transportation Service (Pier G) | Listed on the port’s facilities page |
| Long Beach | Pacific Container Terminal (Pier J) | Same page |
| Long Beach | SSA Terminals (Pier A and Pier C) | Same page |
| Long Beach | Total Terminals International (Pier T) | Same page |
Terminal names are as the two ports list them on 2026-10-21; the Port of Los Angeles also links the Port Optimizer control tower from its terminal pages. Pay demurrage only through a channel the terminal or the carrier names on the invoice.
How the calculator handles LA and Long Beach
Enter port code USLAX (Los Angeles) or USLGB (Long Beach) in the calculator. It counts from the date you give, using the carrier’s published US tariff.
Last free day calculatorHow it counts:
- It prefers a row for that port over an all-ports row, and returns “not calculated” with the reason if the tariff does not say when counting starts or we hold no tariff.
- For working-day tariffs it skips Sundays and the US federal holidays listed on the calculator page; it does not know a terminal’s own closures or the port’s free day calendar, so check the date with the carrier or terminal.
- Some carrier tariffs price the terminals separately or do not apply to California ports. Our ZIM rows for all other ports do not apply at Los Angeles and Long Beach; for Hapag-Lloyd we hold the California generic table but not the terminal tables; MSC’s published sheet prices demurrage only at Port Everglades, so we hold no MSC demurrage rows here. Each carrier page says what we hold.
If an invoice looks wrong:
Draft a letterUS federal holidays used for working days
- : New Year's Day
- : Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.
- : Washington's Birthday
- : Memorial Day
- : Juneteenth National Independence Day
- : Independence Day
- : Labor Day
- : Columbus Day
- : Veterans Day
- : Thanksgiving Day
- : Christmas Day
- : New Year's Day
- : Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.
- : Washington's Birthday
- : Memorial Day
- : Juneteenth National Independence Day
- : Independence Day
- : Labor Day
- : Columbus Day
- : Veterans Day
- : Thanksgiving Day
- : Christmas Day
Source: OPM federal holidays. Generated 2026-10-21.
Frequently asked questions
Which tariff governs demurrage at the Port of Los Angeles?
The port publishes Tariff No. 4, with a section on free time, demurrage and storage and a separate free day calendar and charts. Your carrier's own tariff and the terminal's rules can also apply. Link and sections below.
How do I find out if my container is available at LA or Long Beach?
Use the terminal's own availability page, or the port's tools: the Port of Los Angeles links Port Optimizer, and the Port of Long Beach lists a public track and trace and a demurrage calendar under CargoNav.
Does the calculator know every terminal's holidays or closures?
No. It skips Sundays and US federal holidays for working-day tariffs. A terminal can close on other days, so confirm the last free day with the carrier.
Sources
- Port of Los Angeles: Container terminals
- Port of Los Angeles: Tariff No. 4
- Port of Long Beach: Port facilities (CargoNav)
- Port of Long Beach: Port operations (CargoNav)
- 46 CFR 525.1, definitions of free time and wharf demurrage (eCFR)
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