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Detention and demurrage represent operational friction. They're also indicators of visibility gaps that affect even the most sophisticated logistics operations. Industry data consistently shows these charges consuming 5-15% of total shipping costs. But for experienced logistics professionals, the real concern isn't just the fees — it's the operational blind spots they reveal.
The Visibility Gap That Costs You
Seasoned freight forwarders and shippers understand that detention and demurrage charges are symptoms of a deeper problem: fragmented data streams across carriers, terminals, and inland transportation networks. When you're managing complex multi-modal movements with varying free time allowances, manual tracking becomes operationally unsustainable and financially costly.
The challenge is both avoiding fees and maintaining the visibility required for proactive decision-making across your entire container portfolio.
Battle-Tested Demurrage Risk Intelligence
OpenTrack's approach eliminates guesswork through a proven risk identification methodology. Our system flags containers using two criteria:
- Precise, reliable Last Free Days (LFD) from our direct connections with all major terminals and carriers.
- We supplement with a comparative dwell time analysis using machine learning trained on millions of containers to estimate demurrage risk in real time.
This way, your team can effortlessly focus on containers most likely to incur fees and prioritize their actions accordingly.
Operational Intelligence, Not Just Alerts
The Exceptions Dashboard delivers prioritized demurrage risk intelligence directly into your operational workflow. You receive timely notifications and predictive insights that enable intervention before charges begin accruing. That means transforming detention and demurrage management from reactive cost control to proactive operational optimization.
By identifying at-risk containers 24-48 hours before free time expires, logistics teams can coordinate pickups, adjust trucking schedules, or negotiate extensions—turning potential cost centers into opportunities for operational efficiency gains.
Your Single Source of Truth for Dispute Resolution
OpenTrack maintains comprehensive, timestamped records of every critical shipment detail — container availability status, customs holds, terminal holds, LFD calculations, and outgate events. This complete audit trail becomes your defensive weapon when carriers or terminals issue questionable charges.
When demurrage bills arrive claiming a container was available when it wasn't, or calculating free time incorrectly, you have documented proof. OpenTrack's data shows exactly when holds were placed and released, when true availability occurred, and what the accurate LFD should have been based on your specific agreements.
This documentation capability transforms your dispute process from time-consuming email exchanges and manual record reconstruction into fact-based refutation backed by reliable data. Logistics teams using OpenTrack report high rates of successful dispute resolution, recovering tens of thousands in erroneous fees while establishing accountability with service providers.
Take Command of Your Container Operations
Serious logistics operations require serious visibility solutions. OpenTrack transforms detention and demurrage from cost centers into competitive advantages through systematic risk identification and proactive intervention capabilities. The result? Predictable cost structures, improved cash flow, and the operational agility that comes from true supply chain visibility.
Ready to see how battle-tested visibility can enhance your operations? Schedule a demo to evaluate how OpenTrack can strengthen your operational command and control.
