Tradlinx Unveils Advanced Demurrage & Detention Monitoring to Reduce Free Time Overages and Reinforce Cost Control Across Global Ocean Logistics
SEOUL, South Korea—Tradlinx, the rapidly growing global import-export logistics platform, has announced a major enhancement to its TRADLINX Ocean Visibility solution: a comprehensive Demurrage & Detention (D&D) Monitoring feature designed to help shippers, forwarders, and logistics teams more effectively manage one of the industry’s most unpredictable and costly challenges. This new capability marks a significant step forward in how logistics professionals can track container dwell times, prevent free time overages, and strengthen cost predictability across their ocean freight operations.
As global supply chains become more complex and container flows become increasingly volatile, managing demurrage and detention has emerged as a critical operational discipline. Even a minor delay—caused by port congestion, customs checks, trucking shortages, or internal miscommunication—can result in unexpected fees that quickly erode margins. Tradlinx’s newest feature addresses this long-standing problem with a scalable, data-driven, and automated solution that transforms the way organizations monitor and act on D&D risk.
A Growing Challenge for Global Shippers and Forwarders
Demurrage and detention costs have long been a pain point for international logistics operators. Demurrage fees accumulate when containers remain too long inside a port terminal, while detention fees are charged when containers outside the port are not returned by the agreed deadline. As shipping volumes surged in recent years and port operations faced significant disruptions, these charges have increasingly become unpredictable and harder to manage manually.
Tradlinx’s leadership emphasizes that many companies still rely on manual spreadsheets, physical documents, or inconsistent updates from carriers and terminals. This creates operational blind spots, making it almost impossible for logistics teams to know which containers are nearing their free time expiration—especially when managing hundreds or thousands of shipments simultaneously.
Against this backdrop, Tradlinx developed its new D&D Monitoring feature to eliminate guesswork, improve planning, and empower teams with real-time insights that support faster, more effective decision making. The new tool integrates seamlessly into the TRADLINX Ocean Visibility platform, which already provides a unified overview of shipment flows, container movements, and related supply chain activities.
Real-Time Dwell Tracking for Every Container
At the core of the new feature is the ability to track each container’s terminal dwell (time spent at the port) and street dwell (time spent outside the terminal post-pickup), in real time. This automated tracking provides managers with immediate visibility into which shipments are moving according to schedule and which are at risk of incurring extra charges.
Instead of sorting through emails, carrier portals, or internal documents, logistics teams can apply instant filters to identify containers nearing critical dwell thresholds. For example, a manager can filter for containers that have been sitting in the terminal for more than seven days, or those scheduled for return but currently running behind plan. This eliminates hours of manual work and dramatically shortens the time it takes to flag problem shipments.
By shifting from reactive to proactive management, companies can take corrective actions such as expediting pickup, coordinating with truckers, reallocating resources, or adjusting internal workflows. For businesses handling large volumes of containers across multiple trade lanes, this level of oversight can reduce costs significantly.
Enhanced Flexibility for Different Operational Models
One of the key strengths of the new D&D Monitoring feature is its ability to support diverse operating environments, from multinational shippers with complex internal systems to small and mid-size freight forwarders balancing multiple customer accounts.
For Large Shippers
Enterprises handling thousands of TEUs annually gain the ability to integrate real-time dwell and D&D risk data directly into their internal ERP systems via API. This integration allows teams to monitor potential overages from within their existing technology ecosystem, eliminating fragmented workflows and enhancing cross-departmental coordination. Finance and procurement teams can also utilize this data to forecast potential costs and optimize freight budget allocation.
For Forwarders
Freight forwarders benefit from simple but powerful reporting tools. They can download Excel-based summaries and create transparent, data-rich reports for their customers. These reports might highlight, for example:
- “12 containers are within two days of free time expiration.”
- “Estimated D&D exposure totals $8,000 based on current delays.”
- “Three shipments require urgent pickup to avoid detention fees.”
This level of visibility not only improves service quality but enables forwarders to build stronger customer relationships by providing clear, actionable insights.
With these capabilities, the new feature supports a wide range of user types while maintaining simplicity and ease of use.
Addressing a Persistent Industry-Wide Problem
In announcing the feature, Tradlinx highlighted the industry’s ongoing struggle with hidden, unpredictable, and escalating D&D charges. These costs can often be overlooked until invoices arrive—sometimes weeks after the shipment has completed. The lack of visibility into dwell times has historically contributed to budget overruns, strained relationships between shippers and carriers, and inefficiencies throughout the supply chain.
Park Min-gyu, CEO of Tradlinx, underscored the importance of tackling these issues head-on.
Demurrage and detention have long been a blind spot in logistics management, causing significant financial losses every year. With this new feature, our customers can manage complex D&D costs in a transparent, data-driven way and significantly improve both operational efficiency and cost predictability.
His comments reflect a wider industry trend: the shift toward digital visibility platforms and automation as essential components of modern logistics strategy. As companies face increased pressure to stabilize budgets and maintain smooth operations amid global uncertainties, tools like Tradlinx’s Ocean Visibility solution play a crucial role in supporting agility and efficiency.
Transforming Operations Through Transparency and Predictability
Tradlinx’s commitment to operational transparency is at the heart of its latest innovation. With supply chain environments becoming more dynamic—and disruptions more frequent—the ability to anticipate cost exposure provides companies with a significant competitive advantage.
The new monitoring capability not only prevents overages but also helps logistics teams plan more effectively:
- Predictable Costs: Organizations can develop more accurate shipping budgets and reduce unexpected operational expenses.
- Improved Efficiency: Teams avoid wasting time manually tracking container statuses across multiple systems.
- Smarter Decision Making: Real-time visibility enables faster prioritization of shipments requiring urgent interventions.
- Customer Satisfaction: Forwarders can deliver better service with consistent, data-backed communication.
- Stronger Carrier Collaboration: Accurate tracking ensures more efficient coordination and reduces disputes related to pickup or return times.
Tradlinx’s D&D Monitoring feature strengthens the overall ecosystem by bringing greater control and clarity to a traditionally opaque area of logistics management.
A Step Forward for Digital Ocean Freight Visibility
The release of this feature represents more than just a functional upgrade—it signifies Tradlinx’s broader vision for transforming global supply chain operations through end-to-end digitalization. By integrating automated D&D tracking into the TRADLINX Ocean Visibility platform, the company continues to position itself as a leading technology provider for import-export logistics.
As ocean freight volumes grow and cost pressures intensify, the importance of real-time, data-backed tools will only increase. Tradlinx’s new feature equips businesses with the insights they need to operate more effectively, minimize financial risks, and deliver consistent performance across global trade routes.
With this innovation, Tradlinx takes another major step toward solving one of logistics’ most persistent challenges—ensuring that organizations can manage their container flows with clarity, precision, and confidence.
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