Maersk Hikes Peak Season Surcharges on Asia–Africa Trades

Maersk will charge shippers up to $2,000 per 40-foot container in peak season surcharges on Asia–Africa lanes from 9 November 2026. The revised PSS applies to Southern and East African destinations and stays in force until further notice. There's no stated expiry — shippers should read that as "budget for it indefinitely."

The increases land on two distinct trade lanes. From 9 November, all Far East Asian origins bound for South Africa and Mauritius pay $1,000 per 20-foot box and $2,000 per 40-foot box. Vietnam gets a one-day grace period, with the surcharge kicking in on 10 November.

The origin scope is broad: China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam. In effect, every major Asian load point feeding the Indian Ocean corridor is covered.

What does the East Africa leg cost?

China and Hong Kong shipments to Kenya and Dar es Salaam also rise from 9 November 2026. The numbers break down like this:

• Kenya: $1,000 per 20-foot container, $2,000 for 40- and 45-foot boxes
• Dar es Salaam: $1,200 per 20-foot container — the steepest short-box rate on the table — and $2,000 for 40- and 45-foot boxes

Put plainly, a shipper moving three 40-foot containers from Shanghai to Mombasa now faces $6,000 in surcharges before base freight, local charges and contingencies. That's real money on lanes where margins are already thin.

How the rate actually gets applied

Maersk's mechanics matter as much as the headline figures. For non-SPOT bookings, the applicable surcharge is set by the Price Calculation Date — and that date depends on the trade's regulatory regime.

For non-FMC shipments, the PCD is the scheduled departure date of the first water leg shown at booking confirmation. For FMC-governed shipments into the US system, it's the final container gate-in date. SPOT bookings work differently again: the rate is based on the booking confirmation date, or the first vessel's estimated departure date at the moment of confirmation.

The distinction isn't academic. A booking confirmed before 9 November but gated in afterwards could land on either side of the increase depending on the shipment type. Forwarders would be wise to check PCD treatment before rolling November cargo.

Payment terms carry their own quirk. Maersk will collect the surcharge at origin unless customers have selected different arrangements. Local charges and contingency fees may stack on top, so the final invoice can exceed the published numbers.

What does this change for shippers?

For BCOs and forwarders moving Asian consumer goods, textiles and project cargo into African markets, landed costs rise by a fixed, per-box amount from early November — a $2,000 hit on every FEU, regardless of how base freight behaves. That predictability cuts both ways: it's easy to budget, and impossible to negotiate away mid-season.

For Maersk, the move signals continued confidence in Asia–Africa demand heading into 2027, with capacity tight enough to support open-ended peak pricing. Other carriers on the corridor typically follow suit within weeks.

Shippers with flexible supply chains still have one lever: cargo loaded and calculated before the November effective dates escapes the increase entirely.