Container demurrage charges arising from delays at the loading port are among the most frequent sources of dispute in maritime trade. In this dispute between the carrier and the shipper, the limit of liability, terms of payment, and recourse possibilities have been clarified in light of the decisions of the Supreme Court and Regional Courts of Justice.

1. Legal Basis for the Shipper’s Liability for Demurrage Charges According to judicial decisions, the parties to a freight contract are the carrier and the shipper. In accordance with Article 1207 of the Turkish Commercial Code (TCC) No. 6102, the principal debtor for freight charges and expenses classified as freight incidentals is the shipper. Since container delay charges (demurrage) are considered incidentals to freight, the shipper is liable for these charges unless otherwise agreed in the bill of lading or transport document (Istanbul 17th Commercial Court of First Instance, 17.03.2022, 2020/382 E. – 2022/129  K.; Istanbul 17th Commercial Court of First Instance, 16.01.2024, 2018/535 E. – 2024/14  K.).

2. Delays at the Loading Port and Recourse Relationship Demurrage charges paid to the shipowner or actual carrier due to delays occurring at the loading port can be claimed from the shipper if the delay originates from the shipper’s sphere of activity or fault.

Fault and Sphere of Activity: If the event causing demurrage occurs within the shipper’s sphere of activity and responsibility, it is possible to collect these charges, which the carrier was forced to pay, from the shipper (Istanbul 17th Commercial Court of First Instance, 09.09.2025, 2021/402 E. – 2025/640  K.).

Under the CMR Convention: In international road transport, if delays at the loading point result from erroneous notifications by the sender or the consignor (e.g., letter of credit processes or incorrect instructions), the expenses incurred by the carrier may be recourseable to the consignor pursuant to CMR Art. 7/1 (Izmir Regional Court of Justice 17th Civil Chamber, 29.11.2023, 2020/85 E. – 2023/2184  K.).

3. Conditions for Claiming Demurrage Fees For demurrage fees to be collected from the consignor, certain legal and formal conditions must be met:

Contractual Clause or Bill of Lading Entry: There must be a contractual provision between the parties stating that demurrage will be paid, or such an entry must be included in the bill of lading. If the contract does not mention demurrage (demurrage), it may not be possible to claim this fee (Ankara Regional Court of Justice 20th Civil Chamber, 24.06.2021, 2019/1725 E. – 2021/978  K.; Istanbul Regional Court of Justice 43rd Civil Chamber, 13.02.2026, 2022/824 E. – 2026/241  K.).

Tariff Notification: It is necessary for the consignor to be informed about how they can access the demurrage tariff (such as an entry on the bill of lading or a web address notification) (Istanbul 17th Civil Court of Commerce, 13.10.2020, 2016/304 E. – 2020/233  K.).

Actual Payment and Amount Limit: The contractual carrier may recourse this amount to the shipper, provided that it proves the amount it paid to the actual carrier. However, the contractual carrier cannot demand a commission in addition to the amount paid to the actual carrier or an amount exceeding this amount (Istanbul 17th Civil Court of Commerce, 12.11.2024, 2021/254 P. – 2024/436  D.; Istanbul 17th Civil Court of Commerce, 13.05.2025, 2019/126 P. – 2025/364  D.).

4. Status of the Consignee (Receiver) and the Shipper’s Ongoing Responsibility

Non-delivery of Goods: In the event that the goods are not taken delivery of by the consignee at the port of destination, the shipper remains liable for demurrage charges in accordance with Article 1207/1 of the TCC (Turkish Commercial Code) (Istanbul Regional Court of Justice 13th Civil Chamber, 19.02.2026, 2026/192 P. – 2026/347  D.; Istanbul 17th Civil Court of Commerce, 12.11.2025, 2024/119 P. – 2025/740  D.).

Delivery of Goods: If the goods have been delivered to the consignee, the carrier cannot demand from the shipper the claims it could demand from the consignee, in accordance with Article 1205/1 of the TCC. In this case, liability passes to the consignee who takes delivery of the cargo and is subject to the provisions of the bill of lading (Istanbul 17th Civil Court of Commerce, 08.09.2022, 2020/263 P. – 2022/508  D.).

5. Circumstances Excluding Liability

Carrier’s Fault: If the delay is caused by the carrier’s own fault (for example, the cargo being transported to the wrong port), the laytime does not apply, and the shipper cannot be held responsible for demurrage charges (Istanbul 17th Commercial Court of First Instance, 24.05.2021, 2018/218 E. – 2021/234  K.).

Absence of Shipper Status: In delivery terms such as “EX-W,” if the defendant does not have the status of a shipper and has not given transport instructions, it is not possible to hold them responsible for demurrage charges (Istanbul 17th Commercial Court of First Instance, 01.10.2024, 2023/326 E. – 2024/366  K.).

Conclusion: Court decisions consistently accept that demurrage charges paid due to delays at the loading port can be claimed from the shipper, provided that there is an agreement to this effect between the parties, the delay occurred within the shipper’s area of responsibility, and the carrier proves the payment made to the actual carrier.

Yükleme limanındaki gecikmeden doğan demuraj bedelinden kim sorumludur?

Navlun sözleşmesinin tarafı olan taşıtan, TTK m. 1207 uyarınca navlun ve teferruatı niteliğindeki masrafların asıl borçlusudur. Konteyner gecikme bedeli (demuraj) navlunun teferruatı sayıldığından, konişmentoda aksi kararlaştırılmadıkça yükleme limanındaki gecikmeden kaynaklanan demurajdan taşıtan sorumludur. Gecikmenin taşıtanın faaliyet alanından veya kusurundan kaynaklandığı durumlarda, taşıyanın donatana ya da fiili taşıyana ödediği bedeller taşıtana rücu edilebilir.

Demuraj bedelinin taşıtandan tahsil edilebilmesi için hangi şartlar aranır?

Mahkemeler üç temel şart arıyor: (i) taraflar arasında demuraj ödeneceğine dair bir sözleşme hükmü veya konişmentoda bu yönde açık bir kayıt bulunmalı, (ii) taşıtan, demuraj tarifesine nasıl ulaşacağı konusunda (örneğin konişmento üzerinde web adresi gibi) bilgilendirilmiş olmalı, (iii) akdi taşıyan, fiili taşıyana yaptığı ödemeyi belgelerle ispatlamalıdır. Akdi taşıyan, fiili taşıyana ödediği tutarın üzerine komisyon ekleyerek veya bu tutarı aşan bir miktar talep edemez.

Taşıtan hangi hâllerde demuraj bedelinden sorumlu tutulamaz?

Gecikmeye taşıyanın kendi kusuruyla sebebiyet vermesi (örneğin yükün yanlış limana taşınması) hâlinde sürastarya süresi işlemez ve taşıtan sorumlu olmaz. Ayrıca EX-W gibi teslim şekillerinde, davalının taşıtan sıfatını taşımadığı ve taşıma talimatı vermediği durumlarda da sorumluluk doğmaz. Eşya gönderilene fiilen teslim edilmişse, TTK m. 1205/1 uyarınca taşıyan, gönderilenden isteyebileceği alacakları taşıtandan talep edemez; ancak eşya teslim alınmamışsa taşıtanın sorumluluğu devam eder.

Why is Expert Legal Support Necessary?

Demurrage disputes, while seemingly a simple debt collection case at first glance, are in fact technical cases that require the joint assessment of various sources such as maritime commercial law, the CMR Convention, bill of lading provisions, and INCOTERMS. Even a single day’s delay at the loading port can lead to tens of thousands of dollars in liability, depending on the interpretation of the contractual clause between the parties, whether tariff information was provided, and whose area of activity the delay originated in. Especially in shipments carried out through Istanbul and Kocaeli ports (Ambarlı, Haydarpaşa, Tuzla, Kumport, Evyap, DP World Yarımca, Asyaport); correctly reading bill of lading records, proving the demurrage tariff, documenting payments made to the actual carrier, and, if necessary, directing the recourse action to the correct party are factors that determine the outcome of the case.

At this point, seeking support from an Istanbul maritime trade lawyer or a Tuzla maritime trade lawyer is the most effective way to prevent loss of rights. Considering the concentration of shipyards, ports, and logistics bases in the Marmara Region, especially Tuzla; working with a law firm specializing in maritime law is of great importance for properly structuring the relationships between shipowners, carriers, freight forwarders, and consignees. 2M Hukuk Avukatlık Ofisi provides expert legal support to its clients in maritime commercial law regarding international transport disputes handled through Istanbul and Kocaeli ports; including demurrage, dispatch, freight receivables, bill of lading disputes, and recourse cases under CMR. Consulting an expert maritime trade lawyer at the beginning of the process to minimize the cost of a delay at the loading port or to develop a defense against an unfair demurrage claim will be crucial for both the course of the case and the sustainability of commercial relations.