Container shipping lines are rushing to impose war risk surcharges on Middle East cargo as a “knee-jerk response” to the rapidly escalating conflict in the region, even as many have suspended vessel transits through the Strait of Hormuz.
“The knee-jerk response is to announce the surcharges first and then decide if they want to take bookings. Right now, there is no visibility when the bookings can restart,” said Linerlytica co-founder Hua Joo Tan.
Hapag-Lloyd has introduced a war risk surcharge of $1,500 per teu for standard containers and $3,500 per box for reefers and special equipment, effective March 2, for cargo moving to and from the Upper Gulf, Middle East Gulf and Arabian Gulf.
CMA CGM announced an emergency conflict surcharge of $2,000/$3,000 per teu/feu for dry containers and $4,000 for reefers or special equipment, also effective March 2. The surcharge applies to cargo moving to or from Iraq, Bahrain, Kuwait, Yemen, Qatar, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt/Ain Sokhna, Djibouti, Sudan and Eritrea.
Maersk will levy an emergency contingency surcharge on its Middle East Gulf and Indian subcontinent to North Europe and Mediterranean services, effective March 15.
