Gulf Shipping

Shipping Arabia, October 31, 2026 – Maersk has announced shipping surcharge changes affecting several Middle Eastern markets and trade routes to West Africa. The Danish container shipping company will introduce an additional $2,000 charge on shipments to five Gulf countries from November 9, 2026, while reducing emergency surcharges on selected Middle East–West Africa routes from November 1.

The adjustments cover shipments originating from ports worldwide, excluding the Far East, and destined for Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Iraq and the United Arab Emirates. Separately, Maersk will lower charges on shipments moving from selected ports in the UAE and Oman to West Africa.

The changes introduce different pricing adjustments across the affected trade routes, with higher charges for shipments destined for selected Gulf markets and lower emergency surcharges for specific West African services.

Maersk Gulf Shipping Surcharges to Increase by $2,000

Maersk will revise its Emergency Operational Cost Recovery Surcharge for shipments arriving in Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Iraq and the United Arab Emirates.

The revised charge will take effect on November 9, 2026, and remain applicable until further notice.

Under the new arrangement, Maersk will impose an additional $2,000 on top of existing ocean freight rates for shipments originating from ports worldwide, excluding those in the Far East.

The surcharge applies to both dry and refrigerated containers, covering 20-foot and 40-foot equipment.

The adjustment affects shipments to all five specified destination countries under the announced geographical scope and equipment conditions.

Importers, exporters and freight forwarders handling shipments to these markets will therefore need to account for the additional charge when assessing the applicable freight costs from November 9.

Emergency Surcharges Reduced on Middle East–West Africa Routes

In a separate pricing adjustment, Maersk announced reductions to emergency surcharges on the Middle East–West Africa trade route, identified as W2MW.

The revised charges will become effective on November 1, 2026, and apply to shipments originating from Jebel Ali, Fujairah and Khor Fakkan in the United Arab Emirates, as well as Sohar in Oman, with destinations in West Africa.

For 20-foot containers, the emergency surcharge will decrease from $3,950 to $3,450, representing a reduction of $500 per container.

Meanwhile, the surcharge for 40-foot containers will fall from $5,150 to $4,650, also representing a $500 reduction.

The existing surcharge levels will remain applicable through October 31, 2026, before the revised rates take effect the following day.

These reductions apply to the specified Middle Eastern origin ports and their West African destinations under the W2MW trade arrangement.

Different Pricing Adjustments Across Regional Trade Routes

The two announcements establish separate effective dates and geographical scopes for Maersk’s revised surcharges.

The reduction on selected Middle East–West Africa shipments takes effect on November 1, while the additional $2,000 charge on shipments to Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Iraq and the UAE begins on November 9.

The adjustments also involve different surcharge structures. The Gulf-bound measure adds a fixed amount to existing ocean freight rates, whereas the West Africa adjustment reduces the emergency surcharges already applicable to the specified routes.

As a result, the revised charges will affect shipments differently depending on their origin, destination, container size and applicable surcharge arrangement.

The changes represent Maersk’s latest announced pricing adjustments across these Middle Eastern and West African container shipping trades.

Source: Al Mal

Shipping Arabia, September 26, 2026 – Maersk has introduced emergency freight surcharges on container shipments affected by disruptions surrounding the Strait of Hormuz, with total additional costs potentially reaching $4,800 per container depending on cargo type and whether the shipment moves aboard a vessel transiting the strait.

The measures cover shipments loaded from or destined for ports in Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and the UAE. They also apply to Dammam and Jubail in Saudi Arabia and ports in Oman, excluding Salalah.

Maersk has set the emergency surcharge at $1,800 for a 20-foot dry container and $3,000 for a 40-foot dry container. Refrigerated containers, as well as equipment carrying special or dangerous cargo, will face a higher charge of $3,800 per container.

Additional Charge Applies to Hormuz Transits

Cargo moving aboard vessels that transit the Strait of Hormuz will be subject to an additional $1,000 per container. According to Maersk, the charge is intended to cover higher insurance premiums and crew risk compensation associated with operating through the affected area.

When combined with the $3,800 emergency surcharge for refrigerated, special or dangerous cargo, the additional Hormuz transit charge can bring total extra costs to $4,800 per container.

Maersk said the emergency freight surcharges also cover a wider range of expenses created by the disruption. These include alternative routings, storage costs, additional transportation and the movement of cargo from temporary storage locations to final destinations once onward transport can be carried out safely.

Alternative Routes Used for Upper Gulf Cargo

The carrier is also using alternative routings for shipments serving several Upper Gulf markets. Cargo moving to or from Kuwait, Iraq, Qatar, Bahrain and the UAE is being routed through Salalah and Khor Fakkan.

Saudi Arabian import and export cargo will continue to move through Jeddah. The alternative arrangements form part of Maersk’s response to the disruption affecting normal cargo movements in the region.

The emergency measures therefore combine additional charges with changes to cargo routing as the carrier manages shipments serving markets around the Strait of Hormuz.

Booking Restrictions Remain in Place

Maersk has also maintained booking restrictions across parts of the affected region. The carrier is applying tighter limitations to refrigerated cargo, dangerous goods, out-of-gauge shipments and other specialized cargo.

At the same time, Maersk said particular attention will be given to essential food supplies, medicines and other perishable goods. These cargo types remain a priority as the carrier manages capacity and operational restrictions linked to the disruption.

The emergency surcharges, alternative routings and booking restrictions remain part of Maersk’s measures for handling cargo flows affected by conditions around the Strait of Hormuz.

Source: Al-Mal