What is a chassis split fee?

A chassis split fee is charged when the container and chassis are sourced from different pools, or when they need to be picked up or dropped at separate locations — common at ports where chassis supply is tight and containers arrive on a different provider's chassis.

How many free days do steamship lines typically allow?

There's no standard rule — free days are set by the individual steamship line's tariff for that port and can range from 3 to 7 days. Congestion, holidays, and chassis shortages can all extend how long a container actually sits before it's returned, even if the trucker acts promptly.

What's a typical per diem rate?

Rates vary by carrier and equipment type, but $100-150 per day is common for standard dry containers, with rates sometimes escalating the longer the container is held. Reefer and specialized equipment are usually billed higher.

How do I dispute a per diem charge?

The empty-return receipt from the terminal is the key document — it shows the exact date and time the container was returned, which is what stops the per diem clock. If congestion or a terminal appointment shortage caused the delay, that documentation (not the delivery date) is what supports a dispute with the steamship line.

Is per diem the same as demurrage or detention?

They're related but distinct: demurrage applies while the container sits at the port terminal before pickup, while per diem (sometimes called container detention) applies after pickup, while the trucker has the container off-terminal. Both are separate from a chassis split fee, which is tied to equipment sourcing rather than time.

US Port Drayage

Drayage Per Diem & Chassis Fee Calculator

Enter free days, days used, and any chassis split fee for each container to calculate per diem exposure across your drayage moves.

Container Free Days Days Used Rate/day Chassis Split

Free Days

Days Used

Rate/day

Chassis Split

Total Per Diem & Chassis Charges

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Enter days used for at least one container above

Free days and per diem rates are set by the steamship line, not by law — 4-5 free days and $100-150/day are common defaults, but always check the specific line's terms before billing or disputing a charge.

What Are Drayage Per Diem & Chassis Split Fees?

Per diem is what the steamship line charges for keeping its container past the free days allowed at the port. A chassis split fee is charged when the trucker picks up a container and chassis from different providers, or returns them to separate locations. Both are drayage-specific accessorials layered on top of the linehaul rate.

Free days

The window the steamship line gives to return an empty container after pickup before per diem starts — typically 4-5 days, set by the carrier's tariff, not by law.

Per diem

Every day the container is held past its free days, billed daily at a rate set by the steamship line — commonly $100-150/day, and often escalating the longer it runs.

Chassis split fee

A flat fee charged when the container and chassis come from different pools or are picked up/dropped at different locations, common when chassis supply is tight near the port.

Proof of return

Per diem disputes are won or lost on the empty-return receipt from the terminal — the date stamped there, not the delivery date, is what stops the per diem clock.

The math

Billable days = Days used − Free days

Per diem charge = Billable days × Daily rate

What if a container sits for 9 days with 4 free days at $125/day? That's 5 billable days × $125 = $625 in per diem, on top of any chassis split fee charged at pickup — all of it billed back through the steamship line's invoice, not the trucking company's.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Per diem is a daily fee the steamship line charges when a container isn't returned empty within the free days allowed after pickup. It's billed by the ocean carrier, not the trucking company, though it's the drayage carrier's responsibility to return the container on time.

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