A local small business owner is facing severe financial distress after being charged an extremely high demurrage fee for a cargo container that remained at the port longer than expected. The situation, according to the business owner, escalated due to poor communication, lack of cooperation, and apparent bad faith by a local shipping company.
The small business owner was unable to collect the container from the port on time due to personal circumstances. However, the importer claims they were misinformed about available alternatives and is now being required to pay a demurrage fee that has grown exponentially.
Demurrage is a fee charged when a container remains at the port beyond the allotted “free time,” intended to encourage quick collection and return of containers. In this case, however, the demurrage charges have now grown to more than double the import tax, representing a major financial loss for the business.
Peak Season Losses and Customer Impact
The timing has further worsened the situation, as the incident occurred during the peak end-of-year season, when local customers are awaiting merchandise. The business reports outstanding customer orders exceeding AWG 20,000, all delayed due to the unresolved container issue.
According to the business owner, the local shipping company demanded full payment of both the demurrage charges and the entire invoice within two weeks, while refusing to cooperate on payment arrangements or interim solutions that could have stopped the rapidly increasing costs.
Lack of Transparency and Missed Alternatives
The business owner also discovered that the shipping company had already paid AWG 6,594.40 in import duties without informing them, and later declined to offer assistance or guidance.
Additionally, the importer states they were never informed about the possibility of unloading the cargo into a customs bond under a T-1 document, which would have allowed the container to be emptied and returned promptly—thereby avoiding the escalating demurrage fees.
Instead, the shipping company issued a demurrage invoice of AWG 10,000 through multinational company Perez & Cia, charging AWG 100 per day for the container’s stay at Astec. The invoice reportedly lacks a clear breakdown of charges, further raising concerns.
Demurrage Reaches AWG 100,000
As a result of these circumstances, the demurrage charges have now ballooned to approximately AWG 100,000, more than twice the value of the import taxes on the goods.
The business owner describes the situation as a clear lack of goodwill and transparency, especially troubling given that they have been a customer of the shipping company for over 25 years. The case raises broader concerns about the treatment of small businesses, access to information, and fairness in local shipping and port operations in Aruba.
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