Maersk has announced a new Peak Season Surcharge (PSS) on cargo moving from the West Mediterranean to the United States and Canada, taking effect December 1, 2026. The surcharge will stay in place until the carrier says otherwise.

Which Services Are Affected?

The PSS applies to all container types moving from West Mediterranean origin points to US and Canadian destinations. Maersk has not indicated an end date, meaning shippers should expect the charge to remain part of their cost calculations for the foreseeable future, pending any future update from the carrier.

How Much Will It Cost?

The surcharge is set at a flat rate of $250 per container, regardless of size. This applies uniformly to 20-foot, 40-foot, and 45-foot containers. Unlike some surcharges that scale with container size or cargo value, this is a straightforward per-box fee.

Which Origins Are Covered?

Maersk has defined the West Mediterranean region broadly for this surcharge. It covers a long list of countries and territories, including Spain, France (via the port of Fos-sur-Mer), Italy, Portugal, Greece, Croatia, Slovenia, Malta, Cyprus, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and several smaller territories such as Andorra, Gibraltar, Monaco, San Marino, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, Serbia, and Mayotte. It also includes French overseas territories like French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, and Réunion. Shippers booking from any of these origins to the US or Canada should expect the surcharge to apply.

How Will the Rate Be Determined and Collected?

Maersk has laid out specific rules for how the applicable rate will be calculated depending on the type of booking. For non-Spot bookings that fall outside Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) regulations, the rate in effect will be based on the scheduled departure date of the first sea leg, as shown on the booking confirmation. For shipments that are subject to FMC regulation, the rate will instead be set according to the date the container is gated in for the final time before loading.

For Spot bookings, the rate will be determined either by the date the booking is confirmed or by the estimated departure date of the first vessel at the time that confirmation is made. In all cases, the surcharge will be collected at the origin point unless the shipper and carrier have agreed on different payment terms.

What This Means for Shippers

For companies moving cargo from Mediterranean ports in Spain, France, Italy, Greece, and elsewhere in the region to US or Canadian destinations, this surcharge adds a predictable but additional cost to ocean freight starting in December. Because the fee is flat per container rather than tied to cargo value, it will have a proportionally larger impact on lower-value or high-volume shipments.

Shippers should pay close attention to their booking type, since the date used to determine which rate applies differs between Spot and non-Spot bookings, and between FMC-regulated and non-regulated shipments. Those booking close to the December 1 start date should confirm with Maersk or their freight forwarder whether the surcharge will apply to their specific shipment based on departure or gate-in dates.

Since the surcharge has no stated end date, importers and exporters relying on this corridor should factor the $250 per container cost into budgeting for the near term rather than treating it as a short-term or seasonal add-on. Those with flexibility in routing or carrier choice may want to compare total landed costs across providers, since peak season surcharges of this kind can vary by carrier and are sometimes adjusted or removed with little advance notice.

Sources: container-news.com