Chennai Customs waives cargo charges after trans-shipment filing delays

Chennai Customs has waived demurrage, detention and storage charges for import cargo delayed by SCMTR-related technical filing issues, affecting nearly 300 consignments—largely LCL shipments—at Chennai Port and related freight stations.

— Source publishedThu, 24 Sept, 2026, 20:54 IST·First seen Thu, 24 Sept, 2026, 21:00 IST·Source BL · Consumer & Economy

What happened

Chennai Customs waived demurrage, detention and storage charges for SCMTR-related cargo delays after technical filing issues held up nearly 300 import

Key facts

  • Nearly 300 import consignments affected
  • Waiver period: September 6-30
  • Public notice dated September 22

What changed

Chennai Customs waived demurrage, detention and storage charges for SCMTR-related cargo delays after technical filing issues held up nearly 300 import consignments, largely LCL cargo, at Chennai Port and related freight stations.

Why this matters

Chennai Customs’ waiver of demurrage, detention and storage fees provides immediate cost relief for retailers and importers caught in the September SCMTR filing disruption, particularly those with LCL cargo.

What to watch

  • Formal customs circulars defining eligibility, claim procedures, covered charge types and reimbursement timing.
  • Evidence that carriers, terminals and freight stations fully pass through the waiver rather than requiring importer disputes or credit notes.
  • Further SCMTR outages, filing rejects or customs advisories after September 30.
  • Queue length, dwell time and clearance velocity at Chennai Port and related freight stations.
  • Any extension of relief to additional periods, ports, cargo categories or non-SCMTR disruption cases.

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