Detention of Goods

Detention of Goods in foreign trade typically refers to goods being detained by customs, shipping lines, freight forwarders, or relevant regulatory authorities in accordance with the law, prohibiting their movement or release. Common scenarios include: customs inspection revealing false declaration, infringement, or lack of permits; shipping lines detaining goods due to unpaid freight or demurrage; freight forwarders exercising lien rights due to customer debt. Unlike 'Seizure', detention is often a temporary administrative or commercial measure and may be released after the dispute is resolved; whereas seizure often involves illegality and goods may be confiscated. Unlike 'Demurrage', detention emphasizes forced retention of goods rather than mere overdue storage. Precautions: Once goods are detained, storage fees, container demurrage, and even delivery delays and customer claims may arise. Exporters should ensure document compliance, timely payment, and purchase credit insurance. If detention occurs, promptly identify the cause, provide supplementary documents or pay a deposit to seek release.