CMA CGM slams peak surcharges on China, South America, Morocco trades

CMA CGM will charge up to US$1,150 per TEU on China-to-Durban containers, the sharpest of a batch of new Peak Season Surcharges rolling out between October 22 and November 15, 2026, across three separate export trades.

The French carrier set the South China–Durban surcharge at US$1,050 per TEU, applying to cargo loaded from October 22 to 31. North and Central China departures to the same South African port pay more: US$1,150 per TEU, effective October 28 to 31. Both charges cover all cargo types, with no commodity carve-outs.

What does this change for shippers on the China–Africa lane? Mainly the invoice. CMA CGM said the China charges are subject to filing requirements and may be folded into the ocean freight rate itself, so the uplift could land either as a separate line or inside the base rate. Shippers and forwarders quoting October sailings to Durban should pin down which treatment applies before they commit to a price.

How the South America charge is built

From November 15, CMA CGM applies a surcharge on dry cargo moving from Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay, excluding northeastern Brazil. The structure is size-tiered:

• US$700 per 20-foot container
• US$900 per 40-foot container

The destination footprint is wide. The charge covers shipments to Northern Europe — including the Baltic and Scandinavian markets — plus the Mediterranean, Adriatic, Black Sea, North Africa, the Middle East and the Red Sea. One exemption stands out: Rosario, Argentina, to the Middle East Gulf is excluded.

For beef, grain and protein exporters in the Plate region, that's a flat add-on across effectively every major eastbound and northbound market they serve. The 40-foot differential of US$200 gives heavier consolidations a marginally better unit cost, but the charge is otherwise blunt.

Morocco reefer trade hit separately

A third surcharge targets refrigerated boxes from Morocco to West Africa: €250 per TEU, effective November 1 and running until further notice. That open-ended validity signals the carrier sees sustained pressure — or sustained pricing power — on the citrus and perishables corridor, rather than a time-boxed seasonal squeeze.

CMA CGM noted that bunker surcharges, terminal handling charges and other applicable fees may stack on top of the basic freight rates, so the published PSS figures are a floor, not the full delta.

Why staggered dates matter

The carrier has not lumped everything onto one effective date. China–Durban bites first, in late October. The Morocco reefer charge follows on November 1. South America lands last, on November 15. That sequencing lets CMA CGM adjust or extend each levy trade-by-trade, and it leaves shippers three different booking windows to manage.

For BCOs and forwarders, the practical exposure is concentrated in October departures from China and November departures from the Plate and Morocco. Contracts with all-in rate locks will absorb these; spot shippers will see them itemised. Either way, the charges harden CMA CGM's yield position on lanes where capacity remains tight, and the open-ended Morocco levy suggests more of these measures, not fewer, heading into 2027.