Maersk`s Asia-Europe super-surcharge delayed till August 15

IMPLEMENTATION Maersk Line`s highest ever peak season Asia-Europe surcharge of US$750 per TEU, $1,000 per FEU and $1,200 per 40-foot high cube, has been deferred from August 1 to August 15 because there`s no shortage vessel space despite dire predictions to the contrary.

The Danish shipping giant first said it needed the peak season surcharge, applying on cargo from Asia - excluding Taiwan - to north Europe and the Med, to cover extra costs from the deployment of idle ships to move boxes where Asian exporters want them, said London`s International Freighting Weekly (IFW).


IFW sources said the surcharge was deferred because of a recent unexpected slackening in trade that ensured that "space and containers were available, despite warnings that the industry would be impacted by a container shortage during the peak season".


French carrier CMA CGM said it minimised the impact by ordering 57,000 containers for the peak season, repositioning rented boxes, leased space and used bigger ships to move containers back Asia and limited bookings to surplus areas.