CMA CGM slaps three new surcharges on Beira and Indian Ocean trades

CMA CGM will collect an extra $100 per container out of Beira from 15 November 2026, as the French carrier rolls out three new surcharges hitting Mozambique, China and Far East shippers in a single month.

The package covers three separate problems: port congestion at Beira, overweight boxes from China, and peak-season cargo from the Far East to Réunion. Each charge carries its own date, its own rate and its own fine print. Together they add real cost to Indian Ocean trades just as regional capacity tightens.

What does the Beira congestion surcharge cover?

The Port Congestion Surcharge (PCS) applies to all shipments from Beira, Mozambique, to every destination on CMA CGM's map. The rate is US$100 per container, effective 15 November 2026.

The carrier pulled no punches on the cause. Congestion at the Port of Beira prompted the measure, CMA CGM said. Shipments also remain subject to space availability — a warning that equipment and slots out of the Mozambican port are not guaranteed even at the higher price.

Dry, hazardous and out-of-gauge (OOG) cargo all fall under the charge. There is one carve-out: countries with filing requirements get a later implementation date of 30 November 2026, giving regulators and shippers in those markets a two-week buffer.

This is not the first time CMA CGM has taxed Beira congestion. A similar surcharge was reported in March 2026, though that earlier measure had a narrower scope. The difference now is reach — the fresh charge covers shipments to all destinations, not a subset of lanes.

How much is the overweight surcharge from China?

From 1 November 2026, CMA CGM will levy an Overweight Surcharge (OWS) of US$300 on selected shipments from China to Indian Ocean destinations. The trigger is simple: 20-foot dry containers with a gross weight above 18 tonnes.

The charge stays in place until further notice. That wording matters for forwarders pricing annual contracts — there is no end date, so the $300 must be treated as a standing cost for heavy boxes, not a temporary spike.

Port Louis, Mauritius, is the exception. Shipments to that destination keep the existing overweight surcharge of US$500 per container, a higher rate that predates this announcement and remains untouched.

For shippers, the practical arithmetic is blunt. A heavy 20-footer to most Indian Ocean ports now costs $300 more. To Mauritius, it already costs $500 more. Splitting cargoes into lighter boxes may start to look attractive at the margins.

What changes for Far East cargo to Réunion?

The third measure is a Peak Season Surcharge (PSS) of US$300 per TEU on shipments from the Far East to Pointe des Galets, Réunion, effective 15 November 2026. It covers all cargo types, no exceptions listed.

China-origin cargo comes with a regulatory wrinkle. For those shipments, the surcharge depends on applicable Shanghai Shipping Exchange filing requirements. Alternatively, CMA CGM may fold the charge directly into the ocean freight rate rather than bill it separately.

That choice has consequences for how shippers see their costs. A surcharge shows up as a line item, easy to audit and compare. A bundled rate hides it. Chinese importers and their forwarders should check which method applies to their bookings before 15 November.

One more cost layer: CMA CGM notes that other charges — bunker-related surcharges, terminal handling charges and local fees — may also apply on top of the PSS. The $300 per TEU is a floor for the peak-season add-on, not the full increase.

What should shippers and forwarders do now?

Three dates matter. 1 November brings the $300 overweight surcharge on Chinese 20-foot boxes over 18 tonnes. 15 November brings both the $100 Beira PCS and the $300 per TEU Réunion PSS. 30 November is the fallback date for the Beira charge in filing-required countries.

Shippers moving OOG or hazardous cargo out of Mozambique face the widest exposure, since the Beira charge sweeps in every destination. Forwarders with Chinese-origin heavy cargo to the Indian Ocean should re-quote Port Louis separately at the $500 rate, and watch whether the Réunion PSS lands as a surcharge or inside the base ocean freight for SSE-filed shipments.

With the Beira congestion surcharge now on its second round in under a year, and space still subject to availability, the signal is clear: CMA CGM expects the bottleneck to persist into 2027, and it is pricing accordingly.