Maersk has announced major changes to its Peak Season Surcharges (PSS) across several long-haul trades.
The carrier will remove the PSS from Far East Asia to North Europe and the Mediterranean from 1 September 2026.
However, Maersk will raise its PSS from the Indian Subcontinent and Middle East to North America from 15 September. The new charges will reach as high as US$9,800 per container on some trades.
Maersk removes PSS from Asia to Europe
From 1 September, Maersk will no longer apply its PSS on shipments from Far East Asia to North Europe and the Mediterranean.
The change covers cargo from China, Japan, South Korea, Singapore and Vietnam. It also includes several other markets across Southeast and East Asia.
The removal applies to all equipment types.
These include dry containers, reefers, high-cube equipment, flat racks, open tops and tanks.
For non-SPOT bookings, the change will be based on the relevant Price Calculation Date (PCD).
PSS rises to US$8,000 on West Coast trades
Meanwhile, Maersk will increase its PSS from the Indian Subcontinent and Middle East to the US and Canadian West Coast.
From 15 September, the surcharge will be US$8,000 per container.
The same amount will apply to 20-foot dry and reefer containers. It will also cover 40-foot dry, high-cube and reefer equipment, as well as 45-foot high-cube containers.
The PSS is currently scheduled to reach US$6,000 from 4 to 14 September. Therefore, the latest revision represents another US$2,000 increase.
The origin scope includes India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. It also covers the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, Jordan and Yemen, among other markets.
East Coast PSS reaches US$9,800
Maersk is also raising its PSS to the US and Canadian East Coast and Gulf.
The level will depend on the origin and destination.
For dry cargo from India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Nepal and Bhutan to Houston, the surcharge will reach US$9,800 per container from 15 September.
South and East India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Maldives to other covered ports will carry a US$9,500 PSS.
For North West India, Nepal and Bhutan, the surcharge will reach US$9,650 to covered destinations other than Houston.
Pakistan shipments will carry a US$9,000 PSS.
Meanwhile, cargo from the UAE, Yemen, Oman, Iraq, Kuwait, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Bahrain will face a US$6,000 surcharge.
Reefer surcharges also increase
Maersk has announced separate rates for refrigerated equipment on the East Coast and Gulf trade.
Reefer cargo from Pakistan will carry a US$8,000 PSS from 15 September.
For North West India, the charge will be US$6,700.
Reefer shipments from a wider group of markets, including the UAE, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, will face a US$7,000 surcharge.
The new rates are subject to other applicable charges, including local and contingency surcharges.
