Last Free Day (LFD)
The last free day, or LFD, is the final calendar day a shipper can pick up a container from a port or rail terminal before demurrage charges start. Terminals and ocean carriers publish the LFD after a container is discharged from the vessel, and it is typically four to five calendar days after discharge at major US gateways. Missing the LFD does not stop the container from being picked up, it simply means every day past that date is billed as demurrage.
Why it matters
The LFD is the single date that determines whether a container move is free or billable. Missing it by even one day triggers demurrage, and at major US ports those charges escalate the longer the container sits, so a short customs or dray delay near the LFD can turn into a real cost. Tracking the LFD across multiple containers and terminals is one of the most common breakdowns for importers without a dedicated tracking system.
When to use it
Track the LFD the moment a container is discharged from the vessel, not when the arrival notice first arrives. Confirm customs clearance, dray availability, and any chassis or appointment requirements will land before the LFD, and build in a buffer day when a terminal is congested. If a pickup will miss the LFD, ask the terminal or carrier about an extension before the date passes rather than after.
How Warp thinks about it
Warp doesn't operate the ocean leg or port dray, but its cross-dock network near major port markets gives importers a fast handoff point once a container clears the terminal, so pallets can move onward the same day the container is pulled inside its free time. With 70+ cross-docks nationwide, Warp shortens the gap between the dray move and the next leg, which helps importers make the LFD instead of racing it.
What Warp does about it: hand the container off at the nearest Warp cross-dock the moment it clears the terminal, and the dray leg ends there instead of at a holding yard. Pallets move onto the outbound network the same day, which keeps the pressure off the LFD instead of racing it after the fact.
Frequently asked questions about last free day (lfd)
What is last free day (lfd)?
The last free day, or LFD, is the final calendar day a shipper can pick up a container from a port or rail terminal before demurrage charges start. Terminals and ocean carriers publish the LFD after a container is discharged from the vessel, and it is typically four to five calendar days after discharge at major US gateways. Missing the LFD does not stop the container from being picked up, it simply means every day past that date is billed as demurrage.
Why does last free day (lfd) matter in freight?
The LFD is the single date that determines whether a container move is free or billable. Missing it by even one day triggers demurrage, and at major US ports those charges escalate the longer the container sits, so a short customs or dray delay near the LFD can turn into a real cost. Tracking the LFD across multiple containers and terminals is one of the most common breakdowns for importers without a dedicated tracking system.
When should you use last free day (lfd)?
Track the LFD the moment a container is discharged from the vessel, not when the arrival notice first arrives. Confirm customs clearance, dray availability, and any chassis or appointment requirements will land before the LFD, and build in a buffer day when a terminal is congested. If a pickup will miss the LFD, ask the terminal or carrier about an extension before the date passes rather than after.
How does Warp handle last free day (lfd)?
Warp doesn't operate the ocean leg or port dray, but its cross-dock network near major port markets gives importers a fast handoff point once a container clears the terminal, so pallets can move onward the same day the container is pulled inside its free time. With 70+ cross-docks nationwide, Warp shortens the gap between the dray move and the next leg, which helps importers make the LFD instead of racing it. What Warp does about it: hand the container off at the nearest Warp cross-dock the moment it clears the terminal, and the dray leg ends there instead of at a holding yard. Pallets move onto the outbound network the same day, which keeps the pressure off the LFD instead of racing it after the fact.