Hapag-Lloyd has announced a General Rate Increase (GRI) affecting standard container shipments originating from the East Coast of South America. The increase takes effect on 15 November 2026 and will stay in place until the carrier issues further notice.

Which Routes Are Affected?

The GRI applies to three trade lanes out of East Coast South America. Cargo moving to the West Coast of South America on the CON service will see the increase, as will shipments bound for North America, Central America and the Caribbean on the GS1 service. The third affected lane covers cargo to the North America East Coast on the SEC service.

How Much Is the Increase?

Hapag-Lloyd has set the increase at US$1,000 per standard container across all three lanes listed above. The carrier has not specified separate rates for different container sizes or cargo types beyond noting that the increase applies to standard containers.

Other Charges to Expect

Hapag-Lloyd has confirmed that the GRI is not the only cost shippers should plan for. Bunker surcharges, security charges, terminal handling fees and peak season surcharges may be applied on top of the base rate increase. Local charges and contingency fees specific to certain ports or regions may also apply, depending on the routing and destination.

No End Date Specified

Unlike some GRIs that are tied to a specific review period, Hapag-Lloyd has stated that this increase will remain valid until further notice. This means shippers should not assume the increase is temporary or that rates will revert to previous levels after a set window. Any changes will depend on future announcements from the carrier.

What This Means for Shippers and Cargo Owners

For companies moving goods from East Coast South America to the Americas, this GRI represents a direct increase in shipping costs on three major lanes. Shippers using the CON, GS1 or SEC services should factor the $1,000 per container increase into budgets for bookings made on or after 15 November 2026. Because additional surcharges for fuel, security and terminal handling can stack on top of this base increase, total landed costs may rise further depending on the specific route and any local fees that apply.

Importers and exporters relying on these lanes should check with their forwarders or directly with Hapag-Lloyd to confirm the full rate structure for their specific shipment, since the GRI notice does not detail how charges vary by container size or commodity. Those with flexibility in booking timing may want to secure space and rates before the increase takes effect, though this depends on operational needs and cargo readiness.

For ongoing shipments and new bookings, tracking tools remain useful to monitor transit times and any service changes that might accompany the rate adjustment. While Hapag-Lloyd has not indicated changes to transit times or vessel schedules alongside this GRI, cargo owners should stay alert to any further announcements, particularly since the increase has no stated expiration date and could be followed by additional adjustments on these or other trade lanes.

Sources: container-news.com