There shall also be a lien upon the goods, wares and merchandise shipped, taken in and put aboard any such water craft for sums due for freight, advanced charges and demurrage, which shall be collected against the goods, wares and merchandise in the same manner as hereinafter provided in Part 2 of Article IV of this Act, in cases of sums due against such water craft.
4-202.Lien on goods for freight.
Article IV. Attachment · Part 2. Watercraft · Not amended since adoption on record · Last verified July 20, 2026
In one sentenceSection 4-202 gives a carrier a lien on the cargo itself for unpaid freight, advance charges, and demurrage, collected the same way as the Section 4-201 lien on the craft.
Full Text of 735 ILCS 5/4-202
Plain-English Summary
Where Section 4-201 puts a lien on the vessel, this section puts a lien on what the vessel carries. The goods, wares, and merchandise loaded aboard a watercraft become security for freight charges, advance charges the carrier paid out, and demurrage — the fee owed when a shipper holds the vessel beyond its allotted loading or unloading time.
The section does not spell out a separate procedure. It borrows Part 2's existing machinery for collecting sums due against the water craft and applies it to the cargo instead, so the complaint, bond, and enforcement steps built for vessel liens do the same work here.
Frequently Asked Questions
What property does the Section 4-202 lien attach to?
The goods, wares, and merchandise shipped and put aboard the water craft, not the craft itself.
What debts does this lien secure?
Sums due for freight, advanced charges the carrier paid on the shipper's behalf, and demurrage.
How is a cargo lien under this section enforced?
In the same manner Part 2 provides for collecting sums due against the water craft under Section 4-201.
Is the cargo lien the same claim as the vessel lien in Section 4-201?
No. It is a separate lien with a different target — the cargo rather than the craft — though both draw on the same enforcement procedure.
Does this section set its own filing deadlines?
No. It does not state independent time limits; it points to the general Part 2 procedure, which includes the deadlines in Section 4-203.
Amendment History
(Source: P.A. 83-707.)
Source & verification. Section text and amendment history are
reproduced verbatim from the Illinois Compiled Statutes, published by the
Illinois Compiled Statutes, Illinois General Assembly / Legislative Reference Bureau. Last verified July 20, 2026.
· Official source
Also known as: freight lien illinoisdemurrage lien illinois statutecargo lien illinois lawlien on goods for freight