Hapag-Lloyd sets $1,000 GRI, $500 reefer PSS and $400 Tema PSS

Hapag-Lloyd will impose a US$1,000-per-container General Rate Increase/General Rate Adjustment (GRI/GRA) on shipments from the Indian Subcontinent, Pakistan and the Middle East to North America when containers are ‘gated in full’ from Dec. 1, 2026.

Two other measures begin earlier: a US$400-per-TEU Peak Season Surcharge (PSS) for Asia and Oceania cargo bound for the West African port of Tema, Ghana, on Nov. 6, and a US$500-per-container PSS for selected Pakistani refrigerated cargo on Nov. 16. The three implementation dates fall between Nov. 6 and Dec. 1, 2026, while two of the charges remain in effect until further notice.

What changes first in 2026?

On Nov. 6, Hapag-Lloyd will start applying US$400 per twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU) to cargo loaded on board from Asia and Oceania to Tema, Ghana. The PSS covers every container type and remains applicable until further notice, giving it broader equipment coverage than the refrigerated-only Pakistan measure.

For forwarders, the operational trigger differs from the North America rule. Hapag-Lloyd’s terms specify cargo ‘loaded on board,’ so shippers should price the charge by TEU and confirm that cargo departs from an eligible origin on or after the start date.

What does the Pakistan reefer charge cover?

From Nov. 16 through Nov. 30, 2026, Hapag-Lloyd will apply a US$500 PSS per container to refrigerated cargo moving from Karachi and Port Qasim to selected Arabian Gulf destinations. The equipment list consists of 20-foot reefers and 40-foot high-cube reefers, so each listed container size carries the same US$500 amount.

The destinations are the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Oman, Iraq, Kuwait and Qatar. The charge runs for a 15-day window, unlike the two measures that continue until further notice, and it applies only to the specified reefer equipment.

Reefer shippers can isolate the US$500 cost in a rate calculation provided the container, origin, destination and sailing fall within the stated terms. For carriers, each eligible container generates a US$500 surcharge line, while forwarders must screen all four elements before including it in a customer quote.

How does the North America adjustment work?

The US$1,000 GRI/GRA covers 20-foot and 40-foot dry, reefer and special containers, including high-cube equipment. It takes effect for containers gated in full from Dec. 1, 2026, and remains in effect until further notice.

A 40-foot high-cube therefore carries the same announced US$1,000 as a 20-foot container; the amount does not double with the larger box. North American shippers can use that figure in landed-cost comparisons, subject to the conditions in Hapag-Lloyd’s applicable tariffs.

The covered origin areas are the Indian Subcontinent, Pakistan and the Middle East. Because the adjustment depends on both the origin area and North American destination, forwarders should check the carrier’s terms before extending a quote to all traffic departing Asia.

What does the structure mean commercially?

Operationally, the notices create three pricing mechanisms for Hapag-Lloyd: a port-pair and equipment-specific PSS, a broader origin-to-region GRI/GRA, and an all-container PSS tied to one discharge port. Shippers face different cost triggers depending on lane and box type, while forwarders need separate checks for booking date, loading or gate-in milestone, and cargo specification.

The distinction between the two date triggers will shape how charges reach the customer invoice. For Tema, Hapag-Lloyd ties eligibility to cargo loaded on board; for North America, it ties the adjustment to containers gated in full. Neither wording permits forwarders to use the later North America start date for the earlier Tema charge.

Which charges apply to each shipment?

Three details will determine whether a customer pays the announced amount: lane, equipment and the applicable date trigger. Hapag-Lloyd’s terms break down as follows:

• Pakistan–Arabian Gulf: US$500 per container from Nov. 16 through Nov. 30, 2026, for 20-foot or 40-foot high-cube reefers from Karachi or Port Qasim to the UAE, Bahrain, Oman, Iraq, Kuwait or Qatar.
• North America: US$1,000 per container for listed 20-foot and 40-foot dry, reefer and special boxes, including high-cube equipment, gated in full from Dec. 1, 2026 until further notice.
• Tema, Ghana: US$400 per TEU for all container types loaded on board from Asia and Oceania from Nov. 6, 2026 until further notice.

Origin areas also matter: the North America measure covers the Indian Subcontinent, Pakistan and the Middle East, while the Tema measure covers Asia and Oceania. Hapag-Lloyd advises shippers to consult its applicable tariffs for full details before pricing or booking.

Unless Hapag-Lloyd changes the notices, the rate trajectory is now defined: the US$400-per-TEU Tema PSS and US$1,000-per-container North America GRI/GRA will continue until further notice, while the US$500 Pakistan-Gulf reefer PSS is scheduled to end after Nov. 30, 2026.