October 29, 2026 | Deeplinker Shipping Brief
CMA CGM, Maersk, Hapag-Lloyd and OOCL have announced surcharge updates affecting African destinations, Gulf-bound contract cargo, Nordic inland transport and Australia–New Zealand trades.
First, here is a summary of the published rates, effective dates and shipment coverage. The amounts represent announced surcharge levels, rather than confirmed increases over previous rates.
CMA CGM: Africa and Indian Ocean PSS Updates Effective November 1
CMA CGM published several Peak Season Surcharge (PSS) notices on October 27, effective November 1, 2026.
| Origin | Destination | PSS | Scope and Official Notice |
|---|---|---|---|
| China | Madagascar, Mozambique, Mauritius and South Africa | USD 300/TEU | All cargo under short-term contracts; based on loading date. Official notice |
| China | Mombasa, Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar and Port Victoria, Seychelles | USD 300/TEU | All cargo. Official notice |
| China, Southeast Asia and Northeast Asia | Malé, Maldives | USD 250/TEU | All cargo. Official notice |
| China and its Special Administrative Regions | Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire, Benin, Equatorial Guinea and Togo | USD 700/TEU | Dry and reefer cargo under short-term contracts; based on loading date. Official notice |
| China and its Special Administrative Regions | Angola, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Namibia, Gabon and Cameroon | USD 900/TEU | Dry and reefer cargo under short-term contracts; based on loading date. Official notice |
| China and its Special Administrative Regions | Senegal | USD 400/TEU | Dry and reefer cargo under short-term contracts; based on loading date. Official notice |
Meanwhile, the West Africa notice leaves PSS levels unchanged for Ghana and other North Range countries outside Senegal. In addition, for China-origin shipments, CMA CGM states that the surcharge is subject to Shanghai Shipping Exchange filing and/or inclusion in ocean freight. Shippers should check whether it is already included in their quotation before adding it separately. CMA CGM West Africa notice
Separately, CMA CGM has announced an Overweight Surcharge (OWS) of USD 300 per 20-foot dry container with a gross weight exceeding 18 tonnes, covering shipments from China to East Africa. It takes effect on November 1, 2026, until further notice. Therefore, check heavy-cargo bookings against the carrier’s weight criteria and applicable charges. CMA CGM OWS notice
Maersk: Nordic Inland Fuel Surcharge and Gulf OCR Revision
Nordic and Baltic Inland Transport
Maersk’s Emergency Inland Fuel/Energy Surcharge applies to relevant Store Door shipments with a Price Calculation Date (PCD) of October 28, 2026, or later.
| Country | Published Surcharge |
|---|---|
| Denmark | 14% |
| Sweden | 13% |
| Norway | 0% |
| Finland | 7% |
| Lithuania | 5% |
| Latvia | 15% |
| Estonia | 20% |
However, this change does not affect electric-truck and rail solutions. Meanwhile, Maersk may update rates weekly as conditions change. As this is a percentage-based inland charge, shippers should confirm the applicable calculation base when reviewing door-to-door quotations. Maersk inland fuel/energy surcharge notice
Gulf-Bound Contract Cargo
Separately, Maersk is revising its Emergency Operational Cost Recovery surcharge (OCR) to USD 2,000 per container for contract bookings from worldwide origins excluding Far East Asia to Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Iraq and the United Arab Emirates.
In this case, the same amount applies to dry, reefer and special containers. Effective dates are:
- November 9, 2026: Non-regulated origins.
- November 27, 2026: The United States, Guam, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Colombia, Puerto Rico and Brazil.
However, the charge applies only to contract bookings, with the applicable rate determined by PCD. China-origin shipments fall outside the published origin scope. Maersk Gulf OCR revision notice 
Hapag-Lloyd: USD 500/TEU PSS to South Africa
In addition, Hapag-Lloyd has announced a PSS of USD 500/TEU for shipments from China, Korea and Japan to Durban and Cape Town, South Africa.
Specifically, the surcharge covers all container types loaded on board from November 3, 2026, until further notice.
Although the announcement’s title refers to Asia and Oceania, its body contains an incomplete origin list. This summary therefore includes only the explicitly named origins; shipments from other locations require confirmation with the carrier. Hapag-Lloyd South Africa PSS notice 
OOCL: Australia–New Zealand EBS Updates Effective November 1
Meanwhile, OOCL has published revised Emergency Bunker Surcharge (EBS) levels for Australia and New Zealand trades, effective November 1, 2026, under non-FMC scope.
For example, the table below shows selected rates for non-temperature-controlled cargo:
| Trade Direction | 20-Foot Container | 40-Foot / 40-Foot High-Cube | Exclusions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia → Asia, South Asia and the Middle East | USD 50 | USD 100 | Taiwan destinations excluded |
| New Zealand → Asia, South Asia and the Middle East | USD 75 | USD 150 | Taiwan destinations excluded |
| Asia, South Asia and the Middle East → Australia and New Zealand | USD 225 | USD 450 | Origins in mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Kong excluded |
The USD 225/450 rates do not apply to exports from mainland China, Taiwan or Hong Kong to Australia and New Zealand. However, separate rates apply to temperature-controlled cargo, Trans-Tasman services and Australia–New Zealand trades with Europe and Africa. OOCL official EBS rate table 
What Shippers Should Check Before Booking
For late-October and November departures, quotations should identify each surcharge’s name, charging unit, route coverage and effective-date basis. First, confirm whether the quote already includes charges in ocean freight and whether applicability depends on loading date, PCD or another contractual trigger.
A TEU is a twenty-foot equivalent unit. Therefore, calculate per-TEU charges, per-container charges and percentage charges separately. Final applicability remains subject to the carrier’s latest notices and booking confirmation.
