Maersk has announced a new Peak Season Surcharge (PSS) that will apply to dry container shipments moving from the East Coast of South America to the United States and Canada. The charge takes effect based on a Price Calculation Date of 5 November 2026, giving shippers and forwarders a few weeks to adjust their booking plans before the surcharge kicks in.

Which Routes and Containers Are Covered

The surcharge applies to cargo originating in Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and Argentina and moving to the United States and Canada. It covers all standard dry containers, both 20-foot and 40-foot units, with no distinction in rate between the two sizes. Maersk has not indicated that the surcharge applies to reefer, special, or out-of-gauge equipment, so shippers moving non-standard cargo should confirm directly with the carrier whether additional charges apply to their specific container type.

How Much Will It Cost

The PSS is set at US$1,000 per container, whether 20-foot or 40-foot, for all qualifying dry box shipments. This is a flat rate rather than a percentage-based surcharge, meaning the added cost is the same regardless of the cargo's value or the base freight rate. Maersk has also noted that other surcharges, including local charges and contingency fees, may still apply on top of this new PSS, so the total added cost to a shipment could be higher depending on the specific trade lane and port pair involved.

How the Surcharge Is Applied to Different Booking Types

Maersk has laid out different rules for determining when the Price Calculation Date applies, depending on the type of booking. For non-FMC and non-Spot bookings, the relevant date is the scheduled departure date of the first sea leg, as it stood at the time the booking was confirmed. For bookings governed by FMC rules, the applicable date is when the final container is gated in at the terminal. For Spot bookings, the date used is simply the booking confirmation date itself. This means that two shipments booked around the same time could be treated differently depending on which category they fall into, so shippers should check which rule applies to their specific contract or tariff arrangement.

What This Means for Shippers and Cargo Owners

For companies shipping goods from Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay or Paraguay to the US or Canada, this surcharge represents a straightforward added cost of $1,000 per container starting in November 2026. Because the charge is flat rather than scaled to cargo value, it will have a proportionally larger impact on lower-value or high-volume shipments than on higher-value cargo. Shippers working with time-sensitive bookings should pay close attention to how the Price Calculation Date rules apply to their specific booking type, since the timing of gate-in, booking confirmation, or scheduled departure could determine whether a shipment is subject to the new surcharge or not.

Freight forwarders and logistics teams should also factor this surcharge into rate comparisons and budget planning, especially if they manage regular volumes on this trade lane. Because other local and contingency charges may still be added on top of the PSS, total landed costs could rise further depending on the specific routing and port combination. Shippers are advised to confirm current rates and surcharge applicability directly with Maersk or their booking agents before finalizing shipments on this corridor, and to monitor whether other carriers introduce similar peak season surcharges on the same trade lane in response.

Sources: container-news.com