What Are the Current Free Time Allowances at JAXPORT and Jacksonville Railyards?

Free time at the port or railyard can make or break your supply chain timeline. If you’re not out of there in time, you’re looking at demurrage or storage fees that can add up quickly. In this post, we’ll break down the JAXPORT free time allowances and what to expect at Jacksonville’s major rail yards—so you can avoid unnecessary costs and delays.

What Is Free Time?

Free time is the number of days you’re allowed to keep a container at the port or rail terminal without incurring extra charges. It typically begins when the container is discharged from the vessel and ends when it’s picked up.

Common charges after free time:

• Demurrage – Fees for leaving containers at the port past the allowed time
• Detention – Fees for holding the container outside the terminal past the allowed time
• Storage – Charged by rail yards for container dwell time

JAXPORT Free Time Allowances (Import Containers)

JAXPORT’s free time policies can vary slightly by terminal and carrier contract, but here’s a general breakdown of what to expect across Blount Island, Talleyrand, and Dames Point.

• Port Free Time (Import): Usually 4–5 business days
• Start Date: Day after vessel discharge
• Applies to: Talleyrand, Blount Island, and Dames Point terminals
• Detention Clock: Starts when the container leaves the terminal

📌 Pro Tip: Always confirm with your steamship line or freight forwarder, as free time is governed by the carrier’s contract.

Free Time at Jacksonville Railyards

While the ports allow a few business days, Jacksonville rail yards (CSX and Norfolk Southern) operate on much shorter free time windows than JAXPORT free time —usually just 2–3 calendar days before storage charges begin.

Typical rail yard free time:

• 2–3 calendar days
• Includes weekends and holidays
• After that, storage charges are billed daily

Rail yards may also charge fees based on the container type (dry vs. reefer) and the rail line’s internal rules.

How to Avoid Fees

Knowing your JAXPORT free time allowances helps your 3PL or internal logistics team plan container pickups and devanning schedules with enough buffer to avoid demurrage, detention, or storage.

• Use a local warehouse (like On-Demand Warehousing!) for fast devanning
• Schedule pickup immediately upon container availability
• Work with a 3PL who monitors free time windows for you

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