Maersk announces increase in container transportation fees between Asia, Europe

Danish shipping company Maersk announced the imposition of additional fees on container shipments between Asia and Europe after changing the course of its ships from the Suez Canal via the Cape of Good Hope, South Africa.

Maersk, one of the world’s largest shipping companies, said its ships will avoid the southern Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden due to multiple attacks in the region and will sail around the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa instead.

Payments include a Transport Disruption Surcharge (TDS) to cover additional costs associated with a longer journey and a Peak Season Surcharge (PSS) from 1 January.

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Maersk cited severe operational disruption, noting that a standard 20-foot container travelling from China to Northern Europe faces a total of $700 in additional fees, consisting of $200 TDS and $500 PSS.

The company added a fee of $500 for each container bound for the US East Coast, including a TDS payment of $200 and a PSS fee of $300.

The company confirmed that routes in other parts of its network will be affected by the disruption of the Suez Canal, which will lead to emergency surcharges being imposed on a wide range of routes.

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