INBOXES have been groaning over the last ten days as carrier notifications of emergency fuel surcharges (EFSs) and rapidly revising BAFS — at sea and on land — flooded in.
There’s little chance of that ending anytime soon, with most container lines adopting fortnightly frequency for revisions, a situation that would seem to be easily justified given the volatility of fuel prices and uncertainty of supply.
But shippers are already questioning the quantum of the EFSs, with one source telling DCN: “The [Middle East] situation provides the perfect cover for shipping lines to revisit their most rapacious behaviour. I think this is going beyond Covid.”
Lines’ extension of EFSs to intermodal/landside in Australia and New Zealand may be a first, with Maersk leading the charge(s) last week. As one cynic put it, it was quite surprising to see the Danes getting in ahead of the usual surcharge suspects, CMA CGM and MSC.
“Its all such a mess and information keeps changing as the situation evolves around the Gulf,” another contact commented. “Lots of pressure on the lines involved — stress levels high everywhere!”
Meanwhile, the recovery in freight rates from China to Australia was short-lived.
Recapping, the mean Shanghai Containerized Freight Index from Shanghai to Sydney in Week 10 hit USD1,420/FEU, up 3% on Week 9. But in Week 11 it fell back 6% to USD1,338/FEU, and in Week 12 slipped a further 7% to USD1,248/FEU. There was minor slippage for Week 13, the current week, to USD1,242/FEU.
A similar trend is observable in in the South East Asia-Australia trade, with Xeneta reporting a steady decline from Week 1’s USD2,079/FEU to 1,654/FEU this week, after a modest recovery Weeks 11 and 12.
It appears carrier optimism that previously-announced rates restorations and GRIs were gaining traction was misplaced, and schedules are once again peppered with blank voyages across a number of Asia-Australia services.
Hope springs eternal, however, further rate restorations and general rate increases have been announced.
MSC advised that due to the ongoing geopolitical tensions, ocean transport costs have significantly increased. As a result, a rate restoration will be implemented on all cargo (ongoing and/or starting contracts) moving from China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Philippines and Indonesia to Australia and New Zealand. The amount is USD300/TEU and effective date 1 April.
On the same date ANL will be implementing a rate restoration program at USD300 per 20’ dry/reefer & USD600 per 40’ dry/reefer for all shipment from Asia/Indian Subcontinent/Middle East to Australia & New Zealand. This increase will apply on top of current Spot/FAK rates subject to all applicable surcharges valid on time of shipment.
ANL is applying a GRI for all shipments from North East Asia, South East Asia, Indian Subcontinent, Middle East and Gulf + Australia (via Asia) to/from PNG, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Gladstone & Townsville commencing 16 April 2026. This applies to all dry and reefer cargo, at USD350/TEU and 700/FEU.
On the same date and with the same increases/inclusions ANL saysa GRI will apply to all shipments from North East Asia, South East Asia, Indian Subcontinent, Middle East, Gulf, Australia and New Zealand to/from Dili, Darwin, Dampier & Port Hedland.
Maersk is implementing a Payer Amendment Fee — Origin (PAO) for the scope of Australia, Fiji, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tonga to World with effective from 1 May 2026 until further notice. This is the charge applicable for change of prepaid payer or payment terms after the issuance of first prepaid invoice. The tariff amount is USD40 per document.
Notes: Non-SPOT booking – The above rate is retrieved based on Price Calculation Date (PCD). For non-FMC, PCD refers to the scheduled departure date of the first water leg at the time of booking confirmation for non-spot bookings. For FMC, PCD is last container gate-in date for non-spot bookings.
SPOT booking – The above rate is retrieved based on booking confirmation date for spot bookings.
Pay term – The above charge is collected at origin.
For trades subject to the US Shipping Act or the China Maritime Regulations, quotations or surcharges that vary from the Maersk tariff shall not be binding on Maersk unless included in a service contract or service contract amendment that has been filed with the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) or the Shanghai Shipping Exchange, as applicable.