On March 9, shipping operator MSC said it will implement emergency fuel surcharges on all cargoes carried from ports in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea to destinations in the Red Sea, East Africa and the Indian sub-continent. The company specified that the measures apply to the West Mediterranean, the Adriatic, the East Mediterranean, Greece and Turkey.
The surcharges are structured by origin sub-region and by cargo type, with separate rates for dry containers and refrigerated containers. MSC set the effective period from March 16 until March 31.
Specified fees (per twenty-foot equivalent unit, or TEU)
- Western Mediterranean and Adriatic
- To Red Sea: $60 for dry containers, $90 for refrigerated
- To East Africa: $135 for dry containers, $200 for refrigerated
- To Indian sub-continent: $85 for dry containers, $130 for refrigerated
- Eastern Mediterranean and Black Sea
- To Red Sea: $70 for dry containers, $100 for refrigerated
- To East Africa: $155 for dry containers, $230 for refrigerated
- To Indian sub-continent: $100 for dry containers, $150 for refrigerated
The company framed the fees as emergency fuel surcharges and limited them to a defined two-week window. The announcement enumerated the exact dollar amounts that will be assessed per TEU on the listed lanes and distinguished between dry and refrigerated equipment in every case.
By specifying both origin sub-regions and destination regions, and by listing separate tariffs for dry versus refrigerated containers, the statement provides shippers and logistics managers with the precise per-TEU charges they will face on the affected routes during the March 16-31 period.
The notice did not include additional operational details or indicate any changes to other routes or timeframes beyond the March 16 to March 31 effective period.