Learn how foreign shipping companies can recover unpaid demurrage and detention charges in Turkey through payment demands, enforcement proceedings, commercial litigation, precautionary attachment and asset recovery measures.

Unpaid demurrage and detention charges can become substantial commercial debts for shipping companies operating through Turkish ports. A container may remain inside a terminal beyond the agreed free period, or a consignee may take delivery of the container but fail to return the equipment on time. What begins as a relatively small daily charge can develop into a significant receivable after several weeks or months. Foreign carriers, container lines, shipowners, NVOCCs and international logistics businesses frequently encounter another problem at the collection stage: the Turkish consignee, importer, shipper or contractual customer disputes responsibility, argues that the delay resulted from Customs, refuses to recognize the applicable tariff, claims that another company should pay, or simply stops responding. Recovering unpaid demurrage and detention in Turkey therefore requires more than issuing an invoice. The shipping company must establish the contractual basis of the charges, identify the correct debtor, prove when free time expired, demonstrate the applicable daily rates, document the actual period of delay and select an effective debt recovery procedure. Depending on the circumstances, available remedies may include a formal payment demand, Turkish enforcement proceedings, mandatory commercial mediation where applicable, a commercial receivables lawsuit, precautionary attachment and attachment of bank accounts, receivables, vehicles, real estate and other debtor assets. Where the container has still not been returned, recovery of the equipment itself may become just as important as collecting the accumulated monetary debt.

What Is Demurrage in Container Shipping?

Demurrage generally refers to charges arising when cargo or a container remains at the terminal beyond the permitted free period. The precise contractual meaning should always be determined from the applicable bill of lading, carrier tariff, booking conditions and other transportation documents.

The fundamental commercial principle is that container equipment and terminal space cannot remain occupied indefinitely without financial consequences. Shipping companies normally grant a defined period during which the cargo interests can complete the relevant operations without additional demurrage charges. Once that period expires, daily charges can begin accumulating.

In a debt recovery dispute, however, stating that “demurrage applies” is insufficient. The carrier should be able to prove when the container became available, how much free time applied, when free time expired, what tariff became applicable and when the container or cargo was finally removed.

What Is Container Detention?

Detention generally concerns the period after the container leaves the terminal but remains outside the carrier’s possession beyond the agreed free period.

For example, a consignee may collect an import container from a Turkish port, unload the goods and fail to return the empty container within the contractual period. The shipping line may then begin calculating detention charges.

The distinction between demurrage and detention is commercially important because the relevant dates and evidence can be different.

Demurrage and Detention Should Not Be Mixed Together

A carrier seeking payment should calculate each category clearly.

The invoice should identify the container number, relevant dates, free-time period, applicable rate and total amount.

A vague demand for “USD 75,000 demurrage/detention” without showing how the amount was calculated gives the debtor unnecessary room to challenge the claim.

A transparent calculation strengthens both settlement negotiations and subsequent enforcement.

Who Must Pay Demurrage or Detention?

This is often the first major dispute.

The shipping company may initially look at the consignee named on the bill of lading, but the contractual payment obligation must be analyzed carefully.

Depending on the transportation arrangement, responsibility may potentially involve the shipper, consignee, booking party, merchant, freight forwarder or another entity that accepted the carrier’s contractual terms.

The correct debtor should be established before proceedings begin.

The Consignee Is Not Automatically the Only Debtor

International shipping transactions often contain multiple commercial parties.

A Turkish importer may argue that the foreign seller was responsible for all transportation expenses. A freight forwarder may have made the booking. The bill of lading may define “Merchant” broadly. Another company may have expressly undertaken to pay local charges.

The carrier should therefore review the entire contractual chain rather than relying solely on the name appearing in one document.

Bill of Lading Terms Are Extremely Important

The bill of lading can provide essential evidence concerning the parties’ obligations.

The carrier should preserve the complete terms applicable to the particular shipment, including any incorporated tariff or standard conditions.

If litigation becomes necessary, the carrier may need to establish not merely that it normally charges demurrage but that the relevant debtor was contractually bound by the particular charging mechanism.

Booking Confirmation

The booking confirmation can be equally important.

It may identify the agreed free time, freight arrangement, responsible customer and additional transportation conditions.

Email negotiations surrounding the booking should also be preserved.

If the customer expressly negotiated seven free days rather than five, that correspondence can materially affect the final calculation.

Carrier Tariffs

Shipping lines frequently calculate demurrage and detention according to published or contractually incorporated tariffs.

The version applicable on the relevant shipment dates should be preserved.

A carrier should avoid attempting to prove a historical debt using only its current tariff if rates changed after the shipment occurred.

Free Time Must Be Proven

Many disputes concern the free-time period rather than the daily charge itself.

The debtor may claim that additional free days were granted by a sales representative or local agent.

The carrier should therefore review emails, booking records and internal approvals.

Where additional free time was genuinely agreed, the debt calculation should reflect it accurately.

When Did the Charging Period Begin?

The starting date should be supported by operational records.

Depending on the type of charge and contractual terms, relevant events may include discharge, availability, gate-out or expiration of agreed free time.

The carrier should produce a chronological calculation that can be understood without reconstructing the entire shipping operation from scratch.

When Did the Charging Period End?

For demurrage, the relevant end event may involve removal of the container from the terminal or another contractually defined event.

For detention, return of the empty container is frequently central.

Gate records and equipment interchange information can therefore become important evidence.

Container Numbers Must Be Identified

Large commercial customers may have dozens or hundreds of containers moving through Turkey simultaneously.

Every claim should identify the specific equipment involved.

Container numbers, bill of lading numbers, booking references and relevant dates should be connected clearly.

This is particularly important when pursuing a large portfolio of unpaid charges.

Evidence Shipping Companies Should Preserve

A strong demurrage or detention claim normally requires more than invoices. The shipping company should preserve the bill of lading, booking confirmation, applicable contractual terms, historical tariff, free-time agreement, container movement records, terminal records, gate-in and gate-out information, equipment interchange records, invoices, account statements, payment correspondence and any acknowledgment made by the debtor.

Electronic communications should be preserved in their original form wherever possible.

Emails Can Prove the Debt

Commercial correspondence can significantly strengthen the claim.

A debtor may write that it accepts the charges but needs another month to make payment. It may request a discount or installment arrangement. It may acknowledge that the container was returned late while disputing only the rate.

These communications can help demonstrate that the underlying obligation was recognized.

WhatsApp Messages Can Also Become Relevant

Shipping and logistics personnel frequently communicate through messaging applications.

A message from the debtor requesting additional payment time or asking the carrier to reduce a particular invoice may become relevant evidence.

The identity of the sender and authenticity of the conversation should nevertheless be capable of verification.

Account Reconciliation Can Be Powerful Evidence

Where the carrier and Turkish customer have an ongoing relationship, account reconciliation documents can substantially strengthen recovery.

A debtor that confirmed an outstanding balance may later have greater difficulty arguing that the entire commercial relationship never existed.

The carrier should preserve signed or otherwise legally reliable reconciliation records.

Partial Payment

Partial payment can also be significant.

Suppose a Turkish consignee pays part of the demurrage invoice and requests additional time for the remainder. The payment records and surrounding correspondence should be preserved.

The carrier should nevertheless avoid assuming that partial payment automatically resolves every legal dispute concerning the remaining amount.

Customs Delay Is a Common Defense

One of the most common arguments is:

“The container remained at the port because Turkish Customs did not release the cargo, so we should not pay demurrage.”

This argument does not automatically eliminate contractual liability.

The answer depends on the applicable contract, tariff, allocation of risk and circumstances causing the customs delay.

Government intervention and contractual responsibility are separate questions.

Cargo Selected for Customs Inspection

Suppose Customs selects a container for detailed inspection and clearance takes ten additional days.

The consignee may argue that it had no control over the delay.

The carrier should review whether the contract provides any exception, suspension or special arrangement for customs inspections.

The mere fact that a delay was involuntary does not automatically determine which party bears the resulting container charges.

Cargo Seized by Customs

A more difficult problem arises when Customs formally seizes or detains cargo for an extended period.

Demurrage can accumulate to an amount exceeding the commercial value of the goods.

The carrier should consider the contractual charging mechanism, whether the physical container can be separated from the seized cargo and whether alternative arrangements can prevent equipment from remaining unavailable indefinitely.

Government Action Does Not Automatically Cancel the Contract

Foreign companies sometimes assume that force majeure or government action automatically eliminates demurrage.

That conclusion should not be reached without reviewing the contract.

The effect of government intervention depends on the applicable terms and governing law.

The specific cause of the delay should also be examined.

Port Congestion

A consignee may similarly argue that port congestion prevented timely collection.

The carrier should establish whether the container was actually available for delivery and whether the consignee could reasonably have completed the required operations.

Terminal records can become important in these disputes.

Strike or Operational Disruption

Industrial action, terminal closure or extraordinary operational disruption may generate contractual arguments concerning responsibility.

The relevant contractual clauses should be reviewed rather than assuming either automatic liability or automatic exemption.

Natural Disasters and Extraordinary Events

Earthquakes, severe storms, floods and other extraordinary events may disrupt port operations.

Where such events directly prevent container movement, the parties should examine the contractual framework and actual period during which performance was impossible.

The carrier should distinguish genuine impossibility from a debtor simply using a general emergency as an excuse for a much longer delay.

Consignee Refuses the Cargo

A consignee may refuse cargo because of a dispute with the seller.

That dispute does not automatically resolve the carrier’s demurrage problem.

The shipping company should immediately determine who remains responsible under the carriage contract and what can legally be done with the cargo and container.

Waiting indefinitely while charges accumulate may make eventual recovery more difficult rather than easier.

Abandoned Cargo

Abandoned cargo is particularly problematic.

The carrier may be owed freight, demurrage and detention while also losing use of valuable container equipment.

Customs and port procedures concerning unclaimed cargo can complicate disposal.

The carrier should develop an early legal strategy instead of allowing the situation to continue for months.

The Debt Can Exceed the Cargo Value

This is not unusual in long-running cases.

A relatively low-value cargo may remain inside a container for months while daily charges accumulate.

The debtor may then argue that the final amount is commercially unreasonable.

The carrier should ensure that the claim has a clear contractual foundation and accurate calculation and should take reasonable legal steps before the dispute becomes unnecessarily prolonged.

Claims for Excessive Demurrage

Debtors may challenge accumulated charges as excessive, disproportionate or inconsistent with the contract.

This makes documentation particularly important.

The shipping company should be able to explain why the container remained unavailable, what opportunities existed to mitigate the situation and how the amount was calculated.

Returning the Container Can Be More Important Than the Debt

Where the debtor still possesses the container, the carrier should not focus exclusively on monetary recovery.

Shipping containers are valuable operational assets.

A customer may owe USD 20,000 in detention while continuing to hold equipment whose continued unavailability creates additional commercial losses.

Legal strategy should therefore address both return of the equipment and payment.

Demand for Immediate Container Return

The carrier should send a clear written demand where the empty container has not been returned.

The demand should identify the container number, contractual return obligation, return location and accumulated charges.

The correspondence should also reserve the carrier’s rights concerning continuing detention and other available remedies.

Formal Payment Demand

Before initiating litigation, a formal demand can help clarify the dispute.

It should identify the debtor, shipment, bill of lading, container numbers, invoice numbers, free-time period, applicable rates, principal amount and payment deadline.

A well-prepared demand can sometimes produce payment without proceedings.

Do Not Send an Unexplained Lump-Sum Demand

A shipping company seeking a large amount should attach or provide a comprehensible calculation.

For example:

Container → Free-Time Expiry → Charge Start Date → Charge End Date → Number of Chargeable Days → Applicable Daily Rate → Total Charge.

This format makes the debt easier to verify and harder to dismiss as arbitrary.

Settlement Negotiations

Commercial settlement can be appropriate where the debtor acknowledges the obligation but disputes the amount.

The carrier might agree to reduce part of the accumulated charge in exchange for immediate payment.

However, any discount should be conditional on actual performance rather than an unenforceable promise.

Installment Agreements

Where payment will be made in installments, the settlement should specify the admitted debt, payment schedule, consequences of default, applicable interest and any security.

The carrier should avoid vague arrangements based only on future cash flow.

Obtain Security Before Granting Significant Discounts

If the debtor requests a large discount or extended payment period, the carrier should consider obtaining adequate security.

Depending on the commercial circumstances, this may involve a reliable guarantee, acknowledgment of debt or another enforceable security arrangement.

Existing leverage should not be surrendered prematurely.

Turkish Enforcement Proceedings

Where the debtor refuses voluntary payment, enforcement proceedings may become one of the principal recovery tools.

A due monetary receivable may potentially be pursued through Turkish enforcement mechanisms without first obtaining a final judgment, depending on the applicable procedure.

The debtor may object, making subsequent judicial action necessary.

Debtor Objection

A Turkish debtor can dispute the debt through the applicable enforcement procedure.

The carrier should therefore expect arguments concerning contractual responsibility, tariff incorporation, free time, customs delay, calculation or identity of the debtor.

Preparing the evidentiary file before commencing enforcement is essential.

Commercial Receivables Lawsuit

Where necessary, the shipping company can pursue the receivable through the competent court if Turkish jurisdiction exists and no binding dispute-resolution agreement requires another forum.

The lawsuit should present the calculation transparently and connect each amount to the contractual evidence.

Large portfolios may require container-by-container schedules.

Mandatory Commercial Mediation

For qualifying commercial monetary claims, mandatory mediation requirements may apply before filing the relevant lawsuit.

The precise procedural requirements should be checked for the contemplated claim.

The carrier should distinguish mediation requirements for litigation from ordinary enforcement procedures.

Check the Jurisdiction Clause

International shipping documents frequently contain foreign jurisdiction or arbitration clauses.

Before initiating a Turkish lawsuit, the carrier should examine the bill of lading, booking conditions and other contractual documents.

A foreign forum clause can materially affect the correct strategy.

Arbitration Clauses

Charterparty-related demurrage disputes may be subject to arbitration.

The carrier should not commence ordinary Turkish merits litigation without checking whether the parties agreed to arbitrate.

However, the existence of arbitration does not necessarily eliminate every possibility of seeking appropriate protective measures in Turkey.

Precautionary Attachment

When the debtor appears to be hiding or transferring assets, waiting for final resolution can create serious collection risk.

A shipping company should consider whether the statutory conditions for precautionary attachment are satisfied.

This can be particularly valuable for substantial demurrage portfolios against financially unstable debtors.

Why Precautionary Attachment Matters

A final judgment is only valuable if the debtor still has assets.

Suppose a shipping company claims USD 500,000 in unpaid demurrage and discovers that the debtor is selling its real estate and transferring money to related companies.

An urgent security strategy may be more important than immediately drafting the merits lawsuit.

Evidence for Precautionary Attachment

The carrier should assemble clear documentary evidence establishing the nature and amount of the receivable.

Bills of lading, invoices, tariff documents, account reconciliations, container movement records and debtor acknowledgments can become particularly useful.

The application should present the debt as clearly as possible.

Attachment of Bank Accounts

Once the applicable enforcement conditions are satisfied, bank accounts belonging to the debtor can potentially be targeted.

For an operating importer or logistics company, bank attachment can provide effective recovery.

Speed is important because cash can move quickly.

Attachment of Customer Receivables

The debtor may have substantial receivables from its own customers.

Available enforcement procedures can potentially reach qualifying third-party receivables.

This can be particularly useful where the debtor operates actively but maintains little cash in its own accounts.

Attachment of Real Estate

Real estate can provide another source of recovery.

The creditor should nevertheless investigate mortgages and earlier attachments before assuming that a property has meaningful net value.

A heavily encumbered property may provide little actual recovery.

Attachment of Vehicles and Commercial Assets

Vehicles, machinery and other valuable assets may also become enforcement targets where legally available.

The carrier should consider both legal availability and economic value.

Recovery strategy should focus on assets capable of generating actual payment.

Debtor Transfers Assets to Another Company

Related-party transfers should be examined carefully.

A debtor may move equipment, money or other property into another company after receiving substantial payment demands.

Where the statutory conditions are established, transactions prejudicing creditors may potentially be challenged through the applicable creditor-protection mechanisms.

Sale to Shareholders or Relatives

Transfers to shareholders, directors, relatives or affiliated entities immediately before enforcement deserve particular scrutiny.

The creditor should examine the date, sale price, relationship between the parties and whether genuine consideration was paid.

The existence of a formal sale document does not necessarily end the analysis.

Debtor Becomes Insolvent

Where the debtor is financially distressed, speed becomes even more important.

The shipping company should investigate whether other creditors have commenced enforcement, whether significant attachments already exist and whether restructuring or insolvency proceedings have begun.

The creditor’s objective should shift from merely proving the debt to protecting actual recoverability.

Concordat Proceedings

If the Turkish debtor enters concordat proceedings, ordinary debt collection may be affected significantly.

The shipping company should identify relevant deadlines, register or assert its receivable where required and protect any available security position.

Ignoring the restructuring process can materially reduce recovery prospects.

Foreign Shipping Company Can Pursue a Turkish Debtor

A carrier does not need to be a Turkish company merely to assert a valid commercial receivable in Turkey.

Foreign shipping companies can use available Turkish legal procedures where jurisdiction and procedural conditions are satisfied.

Corporate documents, representation authority and powers of attorney may need to be prepared appropriately for proceedings.

Foreign Currency Claims

Demurrage and detention are frequently invoiced in US dollars or euros.

The contractual currency, payment terms and applicable rules concerning foreign-currency obligations should be examined carefully.

The claim should identify principal and any applicable interest separately.

Interest on Unpaid Charges

The carrier should review the contract for an applicable default-interest clause.

Where contractual provisions do not resolve the issue, the legally applicable interest rules must be determined.

Interest calculations should be transparent and should not simply be hidden inside the principal balance.

Limitation Periods

Shipping companies should never assume that they can pursue demurrage or detention indefinitely.

The applicable limitation period depends on the legal characterization of the claim, contractual relationship and governing law.

Maritime and transportation claims can be subject to specialized time limitations.

The relevant period should therefore be calculated at the beginning of the collection process.

Negotiations Do Not Automatically Protect Against Time Bars

A debtor may negotiate for months while repeatedly promising payment.

Those discussions should not create false security.

The carrier should monitor limitation periods independently and take legally effective action before any deadline expires.

Foreign Judgment

If the shipping company has already obtained a foreign judgment for demurrage or detention, enforcement against assets in Turkey may still be possible through the applicable recognition and enforcement framework.

The foreign judgment should be reviewed before beginning a new merits lawsuit.

Duplicating litigation unnecessarily can waste time.

Foreign Arbitral Award

The same issue arises where a foreign arbitral tribunal has already decided the claim.

A shipping company holding an arbitral award may seek enforcement against Turkish debtor assets subject to the applicable requirements.

Asset tracing should occur alongside the enforcement strategy.

First 24 Hours After a Major Payment Default

The shipping company should identify the contractual debtor, calculate the outstanding amount and preserve the complete evidence file. If containers remain outside the carrier’s control, immediate return demands should be considered. The debtor’s payment statements and acknowledgments should be secured, and applicable jurisdiction or arbitration provisions should be reviewed.

The carrier should also determine whether the debtor appears financially stable.

First 72 Hours

The company should prepare a container-by-container schedule showing free time, chargeable days and applicable rates. The debtor’s Turkish asset position should be considered. If there is evidence of asset transfers or financial distress, precautionary attachment should be evaluated promptly.

Settlement discussions can continue, but they should not delay urgent asset protection.

Building a Strong Demurrage Claim

A useful evidentiary structure is:

Bill of Lading → Contractual Debtor → Container Number → Discharge or Gate-Out Date → Free-Time Period → Free-Time Expiry → Chargeable Period → Applicable Tariff → Container Return or Release Date → Total Amount → Invoice → Payment Demand → Debtor Response.

A court or enforcement file built in this format is considerably easier to understand than hundreds of disconnected operational documents.

Example: Importer Refuses to Pay Because Customs Delayed Clearance

Suppose a container arrives at a Turkish port and remains there for 25 days because the importer experiences a customs classification dispute.

The importer argues that the delay was beyond its control.

The carrier should examine the contractual terms concerning free time, customs delays and responsibility for demurrage. It should establish when the container became available and whether any agreed exception applies.

The customs dispute and contractual payment obligation should be analyzed separately.

Example: Container Never Returned

Suppose the consignee takes delivery of the container but does not return it for 60 days.

The carrier should preserve gate-out records, agreed free time, return instructions, demands for return and the applicable detention tariff.

Legal action may need to seek both monetary recovery and protection of the carrier’s equipment interests.

Example: Debtor Accepts Charges but Cannot Pay

Suppose the Turkish importer acknowledges USD 150,000 in outstanding charges but requests six months to pay.

The shipping company should evaluate the debtor’s financial position before agreeing.

An installment settlement without adequate security can merely transform today’s collectible debt into tomorrow’s insolvency claim.

Example: Debtor Transfers Assets After Receiving the Invoice

Suppose the debtor sells its warehouse to an affiliated company shortly after receiving a large demurrage demand.

The shipping company should investigate the transfer immediately and assess precautionary attachment and other creditor-protection remedies.

Waiting until the final judgment may allow the debtor’s remaining assets to disappear.

2026 Debt Recovery Strategy for Unpaid Demurrage and Detention in Turkey

The strongest recovery strategy begins by proving the debt rather than merely producing an invoice. The shipping company should identify the correct contractual debtor, preserve the bill of lading and booking terms, establish the applicable free-time period, preserve the historical tariff and create a container-by-container calculation showing exactly how the debt arose. Demurrage and detention should be separated, and any additional freight or storage claims should also be identified independently. The carrier should preserve terminal movement records, gate records, equipment interchange information, invoices, account reconciliations and debtor communications. Where the empty container remains unreturned, equipment recovery should proceed alongside monetary collection. A formal payment demand can then be issued. If voluntary payment fails, Turkish enforcement proceedings, commercial litigation and mandatory mediation requirements should be assessed according to the selected procedure. Jurisdiction and arbitration clauses must be reviewed before merits proceedings are initiated. Where the debtor appears financially unstable or is transferring assets, precautionary attachment should be considered immediately. Bank accounts, third-party receivables, real estate, vehicles and other valuable assets may become relevant to enforcement. Suspicious transfers to related companies, shareholders or other connected persons should be investigated for potential creditor remedies. If the debtor enters restructuring or insolvency proceedings, the creditor should protect its position without delay. The practical roadmap is therefore: identify the contractual debtor → preserve the bill of lading → verify booking terms → establish free time → preserve the applicable tariff → identify every container → calculate demurrage separately → calculate detention separately → preserve terminal and gate records → demand return of unreturned equipment → issue invoices → preserve debtor acknowledgments → send a formal payment demand → review jurisdiction and arbitration clauses → calculate applicable limitation periods → investigate debtor assets → assess precautionary attachment → commence enforcement where appropriate → complete mandatory mediation where required → pursue commercial litigation if necessary → attach bank accounts and receivables → investigate real estate and commercial assets → challenge prejudicial asset transfers where legally available → secure any settlement arrangement → enforce the final judgment or award → recover the outstanding commercial debt.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can a foreign shipping company recover unpaid demurrage from a Turkish importer?

Yes. A foreign shipping company can pursue a Turkish debtor where the applicable jurisdictional and procedural conditions are satisfied. The carrier should first establish the contractual basis of the charges and the identity of the debtor.

2. Is demurrage automatically payable whenever cargo remains at a Turkish port?

Not necessarily. The applicable contractual terms, free-time period, reason for delay and tariff should be examined. The carrier must be able to explain how the charge arose.

3. Does a Turkish Customs delay automatically cancel demurrage?

No. A customs delay does not automatically eliminate contractual demurrage liability. The relevant transportation contract and allocation of risk must be reviewed.

4. What is the difference between demurrage and detention?

Demurrage generally concerns excess time involving the container or cargo at the terminal, while detention generally concerns the carrier’s container remaining outside the terminal beyond the applicable free period. The contractual definitions should always be checked.

5. Can a shipping company start enforcement proceedings in Turkey without first obtaining a judgment?

Potentially, yes. Certain monetary claims can be pursued through Turkish enforcement procedures without an existing judgment, although the debtor may object and additional proceedings may then become necessary.

6. Can the debtor’s bank accounts be attached?

Yes, where the applicable enforcement conditions have been satisfied, qualifying bank accounts and other debtor assets can potentially be attached.

7. Can precautionary attachment be requested before the commercial lawsuit ends?

Potentially, yes, where the statutory requirements are satisfied. This can be especially important where there is evidence that the debtor is transferring or concealing assets.

8. What if the consignee never returns the shipping container?

The carrier should address both the continuing detention claim and recovery of its equipment. Written return demands, gate-out records and container identification documents should be preserved.

9. Can a Turkish debtor avoid payment by saying another company was responsible for the shipment?

Not merely by making that assertion. The bill of lading, booking agreement, contractual definitions, correspondence and actual commercial relationship should be examined to determine who is legally responsible.

10. What is the most important evidence in a demurrage or detention lawsuit?

The strongest files generally combine the bill of lading or booking agreement, applicable tariff, agreed free time, container movement records, gate records, invoices, detailed calculations, payment demands and debtor acknowledgments or correspondence.

Legal Support for Shipping Companies Recovering Demurrage and Detention in Turkey

Foreign shipping companies, carriers, shipowners, container lines, NVOCCs and international logistics businesses facing unpaid demurrage or detention receivables in Turkey may require assistance with commercial debt recovery, enforcement proceedings, precautionary attachment, commercial litigation, debtor asset tracing, unreturned containers, foreign judgments and arbitral awards.

Firat Fesih Kaya Law Office assists foreign shipping and logistics companies with the recovery of maritime and commercial receivables in Turkey. Firat Fesih Kaya can assist with reviewing demurrage and detention documentation, identifying the responsible debtor, preparing debt calculations, initiating enforcement proceedings, pursuing commercial claims, seeking precautionary attachment and developing an asset-focused recovery strategy.

Phone: +90 312 434 22 22
Mobile Phone: +90 532 769 22 22
Email: info@firatfesihkaya.av.tr
Address: Mevlana Boulevard No: 221, Yildirim Tower, Balgat, Cankaya / Ankara, Turkey