Container carriers are raising charges on selected Americas trades and expanding port coverage while a gradual return to Suez Canal routings reduces India–US East Coast transit times, Hellenic Shipping News reported, citing ICIS. The changes include a higher Maersk fuel surcharge for US inland transport and a new Brazilian call on a shared MSC–Maersk service.
CMA CGM will add $300 per TEU to rates between Oceania and the Americas from 2 November. The adjustment covers Oceania exports to North and South America, alongside shipments to Oceania from the US and Canadian east coasts and the US Gulf. Separately, the carrier will raise Asia–South America rates by $1,000 per container from 15 October, covering origins across Asia, including Japan, Southeast Asia and Bangladesh. Both adjustments apply to dry, refrigerated and out-of-gauge cargo, plus paying empty containers.
Maersk will introduce a peak-season surcharge of $1,000 per container for dry cargo moving from South America’s east coast to the US and Canada from 5 November. The amount is the same for 20-foot and 40-foot equipment. From 1 November, its US inland import/export fuel surcharge will rise from $140 to $215 per container, which the report attributed to higher US fuel prices. It applies where Maersk arranges US door trucking under its ocean bill of lading.
MSC and Maersk are also adding Suape to their joint service linking the US Gulf and Mexico with South America’s east coast. MSC Yamuna VI is scheduled to make the inaugural call on 26 October. The report cited seasonal export demand, peak Asia–east coast South America volumes and supply-chain resilience among the reasons for the addition.
Meanwhile, India-origin shipments are reaching Savannah 10–14 days sooner as some carriers resume Suez passages, according to the report. The Georgia Port Authority pointed to Maersk’s MECL and CMA CGM’s INDAMEX services, alongside MSC announcements on restoring selected services. Carriers had diverted from the Red Sea and Suez route following attacks by Iran-backed Houthis, with the longer Cape of Good Hope passage initially tightening capacity and driving freight rates sharply higher.