Reshoring & Tariff Strategy worked example

Port Delay Cost Impact at 58% share of delay days billable: a worked example

Here is what the math looks like when conditions slip. We hold every other input steady and drop share of delay days billable to 58%, then walk the calculation through step by step. Estimates the dollar exposure when inbound containers are stuck at port during a delay event affecting a reshoring or tariff sourcing decision.

The inputs for this scenario

  • Containers held at port: 12 containers (held at the documented default)
  • Daily demurrage and carrying rate: 185 $/container/day (held at the documented default)
  • Share of delay days billable: 58 % (the input this scenario stresses; the baseline uses 80)
  • Expedite and rebooking flat fee: 4,500 $ (held at the documented default)

Working through the calculation

  • The calculation starts from the formula this tool documents: Total delay exposure = containers x daily rate x billable-day share + expedite fee.
  • Total port delay cost impact cost works out to 5,788 $ at these inputs, and this is the headline figure for the scenario.
  • Port delay cost impact cost per unit works out to 482 $ / piece at these inputs.
  • Variable port delay cost impact cost works out to 1,288 $ at these inputs.
  • Fixed port delay cost impact adder works out to 4,500 $ at these inputs.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where share of delay days billable sits at 80% and the headline result is 6,276 $, this scenario comes in 7.78% below the baseline at 5,788 $.
  • The practical read: the gap between this scenario and the baseline is entirely attributable to share of delay days billable, so recovering it is worth quantifying in dollars before considering equipment or staffing changes. It assumes a single flat daily rate, but real demurrage and detention tariffs are tiered — free days first, then escalating day-band rates — so a long hold can cost more than a single average rate implies.

Results at a glance

  • Total port delay cost impact cost: 5,788 $ (headline result)
  • Port delay cost impact cost per unit: 482 $ / piece
  • Variable port delay cost impact cost: 1,288 $
  • Fixed port delay cost impact adder: 4,500 $

Run it with your numbers

  • To rerun this with your own numbers, open the live Port Delay Cost Impact calculator, set share of delay days billable to your actual value, and adjust the remaining inputs to match your operation.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.