MSC has published higher Freight All Kinds (FAK) rates for cargo moving from Far East ports to the Mediterranean, North Africa and the Black Sea, effective December 1, 2026. Rates to Northern Europe will stay at current levels. The new tariffs apply to shipments from all Far East origins, including Japan, South Korea and Southeast Asia, and will remain in place until MSC issues further notice, though no later than December 14, 2026.

Which Routes Are Going Up

Compared with MSC's second-half-of-November rates, most Mediterranean and Black Sea destinations are rising. For a 40-foot container, the Western Mediterranean and Adriatic rates climb by $1,200 to $6,500. The Eastern Mediterranean rate goes up by $800 to the same $6,500 level. Black Sea rates increase by $800 to $6,700 per 40-foot box. North African destinations remain the most expensive on MSC's published list: Algeria rises $600 to $8,200, while Libya and Tunisia each go up $800 to $8,000. Casablanca in Morocco increases $800 to $7,000. Northern Europe is the one lane holding steady, at $4,600 for a 40-foot container.

What's Driving the Increase

MSC's published rates bundle in several cost components beyond base ocean freight. The Global Fuel Surcharge for December rises to $304 per TEU, up from $266 in November. An Emission Control Area surcharge of $15 per TEU applies to Mediterranean destinations and some Northern European countries, with a higher $52 per TEU charge for other Nordic and Baltic ports. On top of that, MSC is applying a Carbon Limitation Surcharge of $20 per TEU and a Carbon Review Surcharge of $90 per TEU for Northern Europe or $133 per TEU for the Mediterranean. Separate Piracy Risk and Suez Canal surcharges, detailed in an earlier MSC announcement from November 4, also apply where relevant.

Conditions and Exclusions

The rates quoted apply on a base port to base port basis. Shipments routed through out-ports will carry additional Transport Additional Origin and Destination (TAO/TAD) charges. MSC's FAK tariff excludes IMO-classified dangerous goods and high-value cargo, and shippers should expect terminal handling charges and other port-related costs on top of the published figures. It's worth noting that these are MSC's published tariffs rather than confirmed rates actually paid by shippers, so real transaction prices may differ depending on contract terms and negotiated discounts.

What This Means for Shippers

For shippers and forwarders booking Far East to Mediterranean, North African or Black Sea cargo in December, budgets should account for notably higher freight costs on most lanes, with North African destinations carrying the steepest published rates. Those moving cargo to Northern Europe will not see a rate change from MSC on this particular announcement, which may make that corridor comparatively more attractive if routing flexibility exists. Because the new rates are valid only until further notice and in any case no later than mid-December, shippers with bookings spanning that window should confirm which rate period applies to their shipment and build in a buffer for additional surcharges tied to fuel, emissions and carbon costs. As always with FAK announcements, the published numbers are a starting point for negotiation rather than a guaranteed final cost, so checking actual booking confirmations and tracking shipment status closely remains important, particularly for cargo moving through out-ports where extra TAO/TAD charges can apply.

Sources: container-news.com