“From November 25th, 2026 (loading date) until further notice.” That is how the CMA CGM notice for Asia-Mediterranean freight sets the start, republished by AJOT on 11 November. The amounts: USD 800 per 20-foot and USD 1,600 per 40-foot container. The notice is broad. It names all main Asian ports, all Mediterranean and North African base ports, and dry, reefer, out-of-gauge cargo and paying empties.
The surcharge against the index
Drewry’s World Container Index of 12 November had Shanghai to Genoa at USD 4,168 per 40ft. The Loadstar notes the figure was flat for a third week. Rotterdam fell 3%. USD 3,504.
The CMA CGM peak season surcharge is 38% of the Genoa figure. That is a lot.
The new FAK levels generally run USD 5,500 to 6,600 per 40ft on Asia-Mediterranean, according to The Loadstar. Even the lowest sits USD 1,332 above the Genoa index, a rough comparison of a lane range with one port pair. The Loadstar does not say whether the surcharge comes on top of those levels. It does say the ranges are largely where carriers have aimed for the past couple of months.
On the Asia-Europe and Mediterranean lane, Drewry says the capacity cuts and higher surcharges could support freight rates. It expects them to increase slightly in the coming weeks.
Some Loadstar sources expressed surprise at the early timing of the surcharges, given that the Chinese New Year holiday begins on 6 February. Vespucci Maritime founder Lars Jensen noted it was probably appropriate, given that peak pre-CNY demand will occupy most of January.
Two carriers, two clocks
| Carrier and lane | USD 20ft | USD 40ft (Maersk: and 45ft) | Counted from |
|---|---|---|---|
| CMA CGM, Asia to Med and North Africa | 800 | 1,600 | 25 Nov, loading date |
| Maersk, Far East Asia to Med | 750 | 1,500 | 23 Nov, price calculation date |
| Maersk, Far East Asia to North Europe | 500 | 1,000 | 1 Dec, price calculation date |
Two days apart. Different events.
CMA CGM counts the loading date, and the notice does not define “loading date”, so a box loaded on 24 November may escape the surcharge. Maersk counts the price calculation date. Its Mediterranean notice defines it by booking type. For non-spot bookings outside the US FMC regime it is the scheduled departure of the first water leg when the booking is confirmed. For FMC trades it is the last container gate-in date. The notice defines the date only for non-spot bookings and does not say how spot bookings are treated. Which date applies to yours? Ask the carrier.
Maersk’s surcharge covers every equipment type in its notice. That means dry, reefer, tank, flat rack, open top and the rest of the list.
Contracts for 2027 are being priced now
Hapag-Lloyd chief executive Rolf Habben Jansen told analysts on the third-quarter call, as quoted by The Loadstar, that he thinks contracts closed for 2027 will be at a higher level than 2026. He expects “a fairly significant net increase of freight rates going into 2027”. The talks start “more or less as we speak”.
On North Europe, Maersk’s notice of 12 November sets USD 1,000 per 40ft from 1 December.
Drewry counts eight blank sailings announced on Asia-Europe and the Mediterranean for next week. Five this week. Match the vessel you were quoted against the published schedules before 23 November, when the first Maersk surcharge date arrives.
Two answers still open
CMA CGM’s notice, in the version AJOT published, is short. Does contract cargo pay the CMA CGM peak season surcharge, or only spot and FAK bookings? The notice does not say. No end date either. Ask your forwarder. Do it before the first booking after 25 November.