French container carrier, CMA CGM has announced a port congestion surcharge of US$250 per TEU for all types of cargo from Latin America to the Port of Oakland in the United States.
CMA CGM’s surcharge will take effect on 17 July (date of loading in the origin ports) from West Coast Central America & Mexico West Coast, East Coast Central America & the Caribbean, West Coast South America, East Coast South America, Leeward, Windward, French Guiana and French West Indies to Oakland.
The major Californian port has faced congestion challenges in the latest weeks, caused by the Covid-19 issue in the Yantian port, while the port has also reported record cargo volumes in the last months. Port of Oakland has handled an all-time record of 1.08 million containers from January through May, while it expects annual volume to surpass 2.6 million boxes for the first time ever in 2021.
“We’re in unchartered waters; record cargo volume coming through US West Coast ports and a pandemic issue at a port in China are creating vessel congestion in both regions,” commented Bryan Brandes, Port of Oakland Maritime Director.
