CMA CGM, Maersk, and Hapag-Lloyd have all announced new or revised Peak Season Surcharges and rate increases in the past two weeks, with Southern and East Africa trades facing some of the steepest cumulative increases heading into the second half of 2026
Container carriers have moved aggressively on pricing over the past two weeks, layering new Peak Season Surcharges (PSS), General Rate Increases (GRIs), and revised booking fees across multiple trade lanes. For F&B value chain businesses moving cargo into and out of Southern Africa specifically, the volume and overlap of these announcements is worth close attention — several major carriers have now confirmed new charges on the same China-to-South Africa corridor within days of each other, ahead of a string of effective dates between June 20 and July 15.
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Southern and East Africa: Multiple Carriers Move at Once
South Africa-bound cargo is facing some of the most concentrated surcharge activity of any trade lane this month, with at least three major carriers confirming new or revised charges within a single week.
CMA CGM announced new Peak Season Surcharges from China to Southern and East Africa effective June 21, 2026. For cargo bound for South Africa, the carrier will apply US$450 per TEU from North and Central China to Durban, Port Elizabeth, and Cape Town, while shipments from South China to the same ports face a slightly lower US$400 per TEU. Mozambique-bound cargo through Beira carries the highest charges on this update — US$550 per TEU from North and Central China, and US$350 per TEU from South China. East Africa shipments to Mombasa and Dar es Salaam under short-term contracts will see separate per-container charges: US$500 per 20-foot and US$1,000 per 40-foot high cube from North and Central China, or US$400 and US$800 respectively from South China. These surcharges apply to all cargo for Southern Africa and to dry and reefer cargo specifically for East Africa.
Maersk followed with a revised Peak Season Surcharge for Asia-to-Southern Africa shipments, effective July 1, 2026, and remaining in place until further notice. The updated tariff covers cargo originating from China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam, destined for Mozambique, Madagascar, Seychelles, Botswana, Comoros, Lesotho, Malawi, Eswatini, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. The new PSS is set at US$1,800 per 20-foot dry container and US$2,000 per 40-foot dry container, applicable to non-spot bookings only, based on the Price Calculation Date (PCD) tied to the scheduled departure of the first ocean leg.
Hapag-Lloyd updated its own Peak Season Surcharge for Asia and Oceania cargo moving to West and East Africa, effective for cargo loaded from June 20, 2026, and remaining in effect until further notice. West Africa shipments will carry a flat US$350 per TEU across all container types, while East Africa-bound cargo faces US$400 per TEU. The carrier confirmed that existing ocean tariff rates, bunker-related surcharges, security surcharges, and Terminal Handling Charges remain unchanged alongside this update.
West Africa: CMA CGM Adds Tiered, Time-Sensitive Surcharges
CMA CGM also confirmed a separate, more complex surcharge structure for shipments from China and Southeast Asia to West Africa, with several changes taking effect on a tight timeline. From June 22, cargo moving from China to West Africa South (Angola, Congo, DRC, Namibia, Gabon, and Cameroon) faces a US$575 per TEU surcharge, while Mauritania-bound cargo carries US$600 per TEU. From July 1, these charges will be replaced with a flat US$200 per TEU PSS on dry and reefer cargo from China to West Africa South, Central, and North ranges, with the same US$200 per TEU rate extending to Southeast Asia-to-West Africa shipments under short-term contracts. Separately, CMA CGM will introduce a US$200 per TEU PSS on all dry and reefer cargo from Northeast Asia to West Africa starting July 1.
North America: Hapag-Lloyd Raises GRI and Booking Cancellation Fees
Hapag-Lloyd has confirmed a broader set of pricing changes affecting North America trades, all effective July 15, 2026.
For cargo from the Indian Subcontinent, Pakistan, and the Middle East to the US and Canada, a new General Rate Increase will apply across 20-foot and 40-foot dry, reefer, special, and high-cube containers. Under the revised GRI, cargo to the US East Coast, Gulf Coast, and Canada will rise by US$1,500 per container, while US West Coast-bound shipments face a steeper US$2,100 per container increase.
Separately, Hapag-Lloyd revised its ocean tariff rates for cargo moving from North Europe to North America and Mexico, raising base freight rates by US$175 per container across affected lanes — covering routes including Hamburg-New York, Bremerhaven-Houston, London Gateway-Los Angeles, Rotterdam-Montreal, and Antwerp-Veracruz.
The carrier also raised its Booking Cancellation Fee for exports from North Europe to Canada, the US, and Mexico to EUR 500 per container, effective the same July 15 date. Hapag-Lloyd said the increase is aimed at addressing a rising number of late booking cancellations and “no-show” shipments, which the carrier said disrupt vessel capacity planning, equipment utilization, and overall operational efficiency.
Asia-Canada: CMA CGM’s Steep, Time-Banded Surcharge Structure
Among the most complex pricing structures announced this period is CMA CGM’s tiered surcharge for Taiwan-to-Canada shipments (East and West coasts), which moves through three distinct pricing windows:
| Period | 20-foot | 40-foot | 45-foot |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15–30 June | US$2,065 | US$2,530 | US$3,060 |
| 1–9 July | US$1,800 | US$2,000 | US$2,530 |
| From 10 July | US$3,600 | US$4,000 | US$5,050 |
The sharp jump in the post-July 10 window — more than double the rate of the preceding nine-day period for 20-foot containers — is a useful reminder that PSS schedules can shift meaningfully within a matter of days, making booking timing a material cost variable on this lane in particular.
Asia-Mediterranean and North Africa
CMA CGM will also implement a US$1,400 per TEU Peak Season Surcharge from 1 July on all cargo shipped from the Far East — including China, Northeast Asia, and Southeast Asia (excluding Timor-Leste) — to the Mediterranean and North Africa. This is among the higher flat-rate PSS levels confirmed across the carrier’s recent announcements.
What This Means for Shippers
Several patterns are worth flagging for procurement and logistics planning:
- South Africa-bound cargo from China is now facing surcharges from at least three major carriers within the same multi-week window, with rates varying meaningfully by origin (North/Central China vs. South China) and by carrier. Shippers with flexibility on carrier selection should compare landed surcharge costs carefully rather than assuming parity across lines.
- Effective dates cluster around June 20–July 15, meaning bookings confirmed before these dates may avoid the new charges entirely on some lanes, while others (like CMA CGM’s Taiwan-Canada lane) have surcharges already escalating within the current window.
- Several surcharges apply only to non-spot or short-term contract bookings, as specified by Maersk and CMA CGM respectively — shippers operating under long-term service contracts should confirm directly with their carrier whether a given PSS applies to their specific agreement.
- Booking discipline is becoming costlier. Hapag-Lloyd’s new EUR 500 cancellation fee on North Europe-to-North America exports signals a broader carrier trend toward penalizing late cancellations and no-shows as capacity planning tightens.
As with all carrier-announced surcharges, rates and effective dates are subject to further revision; shippers should confirm current charges directly with carriers or freight forwarders before finalizing bookings.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Peak Season Surcharge (PSS) in container shipping?
A PSS is an additional per-container or per-TEU charge carriers apply during periods of elevated demand or capacity constraints, layered on top of standard ocean freight rates. PSS levels and effective dates vary by carrier, trade lane, and sometimes by contract type (spot vs. long-term).
What is a General Rate Increase (GRI)?
A GRI is a carrier-wide increase to base ocean freight tariff rates, typically applied across a broad set of trade lanes or origin-destination pairs, distinct from temporary surcharges like a PSS.
Why are multiple carriers raising rates to South Africa at the same time?
CMA CGM, Maersk, and Hapag-Lloyd have each confirmed new or revised surcharges on Asia-to-Southern Africa trades within a similar window in June 2026. While carriers set pricing independently, simultaneous announcements across a trade lane often reflect shared capacity or demand pressures affecting that route.
Do these surcharges apply to all bookings?
Not necessarily. Some surcharges, including Maersk’s Southern Africa PSS, apply only to non-spot bookings. Others, like portions of CMA CGM’s West Africa surcharges, apply specifically to short-term contracts. Shippers should confirm applicability with their carrier based on their specific contract type.
When do the North America rate increases from Hapag-Lloyd take effect?
Hapag-Lloyd’s General Rate Increase, revised ocean tariff rates, and higher Booking Cancellation Fees for North America-bound cargo all take effect July 15, 2026.
How much is Hapag-Lloyd’s new Booking Cancellation Fee?
EUR 500 per container, applicable to exports from North Europe to Canada, the United States, and Mexico, effective July 15, 2026.
Sources & References
| Source | Publication | Date | URL |
|---|---|---|---|
| Container News | CMA CGM announces multiple PSS on key trade lanes | June 21, 2026 | https://container-news.com/cma-cgm-announces-multiple-pss-on-key-trade-lanes/ |
| Container News | CMA CGM announces PSS from China to Southern and East Africa | June 17, 2026 | https://container-news.com/cma-cgm-announces-pss-from-china-to-southern-and-east-africa/ |
| Container News | Maersk updates peak season surcharge for Southern Africa | June 16, 2026 | https://container-news.com/maersk-updates-peak-season-surcharge-for-southern-africa/ |
| Container News | Hapag-Lloyd updates North America pricing and booking charges | June 16, 2026 | https://container-news.com/hapag-lloyd-updates-north-america-pricing-and-booking-charges/ |
| Container News | Hapag-Lloyd updates peak season surcharge for Africa-bound cargo | June 11, 2026 | https://container-news.com/hapag-lloyd-updates-peak-season-surcharge-for-africa-bound-cargo/ |
| Container News | Rates & Surcharges section (homepage feed) | Ongoing | https://container-news.com/freight-news/ |
