Up to US$1,000/container!The two major shipping companies have successively adjusted their charges,

According to the official announcement issued by CMA CGM on September 24, 2026, this freight rate adjustment applies to goods exported from Asia to multiple markets in Latin America.Coverage includes: South America West Coast South America East Coast Central America East and West Coast Caribbean Region Mexico This adjustment involves a variety of cargo types, including: general dry cargo (Dry Cargo) refrigerated cargo (Reefer) out-of-gauge cargo (OOG) paid empty container increase is unified to: US$1,000/container. The new rate is based on the date of shipment and will take effect from October 15, 2026.For export companies, the biggest impact of this adjustment is its wider coverage.Some route price increases in the past may have only been for a single region or specific port.However, this time involves many important trade markets such as Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru, and Mexico. For companies that have long-term exports to Latin America, transportation quotations may need to be readjusted.Overweight surcharges of US$200-300 will be charged for heavy containers over 0.120 tons. According to the official notice of CMA CGM, shipping companies will implement an overweight surcharge (OWS) for 20-foot dry containers exported from the Far East to the west coast of Central America, the west coast of Mexico and the west coast of South America starting from October 15, 2026.The specific charges are as follows: Far East → West Coast of Central America, West Coast of Mexico (excluding West Coast of Panama and West Coast of Honduras) Cargo type: 20-foot dry container Conditions: The total weight of the container exceeds 20 tons Charge: US$200/container Far East → West Coast of South America Cargo type: 20-foot dry container Conditions: Total weight exceeds 20 tons Charge: US$300/container The fee will be implemented from October 15, 2026, and the duration has not yet been announced.For export goods such as steel products, machinery and equipment, chemicals, and building materials, the impact of such costs will be more obvious.Because the 20-foot container itself is the most commonly used box type in heavy cargo transportation.Previously, in order to reduce transportation costs, some companies would use 20-foot containers to load high-density goods as much as possible.However, as shipping companies pay more attention to weight risks, equipment losses and terminal operating costs, heavy container charges are gradually becoming the norm.01 Overweight fees are not the first time that shipping companies are readjusting "heavy cargo costs." In fact, CMA CGM has previously implemented similar measures on routes from Asia to Latin America.In June 2026, CMA CGM announced the implementation of overweight surcharges for 20-foot dry containers from the Far East to the west coast of South America.At that time, it was stipulated that 20-foot containers exceeding 20 tons would be charged US$400 per container.After this latest adjustment, charges have dropped in some areas, but the coverage has been further clarified, including the west coast of Central America, the west coast of Mexico, and the west coast of South America.From an industry perspective, shipping companies charge for heavy containers not just to increase revenue.Containers with higher weight will bring higher requirements in terminal storage, loading and unloading arrangements, ship stowage and land transportation.Especially during the peak season, when ship space is tight, weight management will also become a way for shipping companies to optimize space utilization.

02 Hapag-Lloyd increases peak season surcharges from Asia to Southwest Africa

At the same time that CMA CGM adjusted the fees for Latin American routes, Hapag-Lloyd also announced adjustments to the peak season surcharges (PSS) for some ports from Asia and Oceania to Southwest Africa.According to the official notice issued by Hapag-Lloyd on October 13, 2026: This fee applies to: China, South Korea, Japan, Southeast Asia, Oceania, goods exported to multiple destination ports in Southwest Africa.Execution time: Starting from October 25, 2026 (based on the shipment date) and continuing until further notice.Charge standard: US$800/TEU Applicable ports include: Angola: Luanda, Lobito, Cabinda Republic of Congo: Pointe-Noire Democratic Republic of Congo: Matadi, Boma Gabon: Libreville, Port-Gentil Cameroon: Kribi, Douala Namibia: Walvis Bay Equatorial Guinea: Bata, Malabo Hapag-Lloyd This is not the first time Hapag-Lloyd has adjusted fees for African routes this year.Previously, Hapag-Lloyd had also introduced peak season surcharges for routes from Asia to Southwest Africa and West Africa, of which the fee for Southwest Africa was US$600/TEU.After Hapag-Lloyd's adjustment, some areas have further improved.

03Why do shipping companies frequently adjust surcharges recently?

Since the beginning of this year, the global shipping market has been in a relatively special state.On the one hand, the growth in cargo volume brought about by the traditional peak season is still continuing; on the other hand, factors such as the Red Sea detour, port congestion, and reduced ship turnover efficiency have increased the operating costs of some routes.For shipping companies, additional fees such as PSS and OWS can more flexibly adjust the income levels in different markets.Especially for some long-distance routes, such as Asia to Latin America and Asia to Africa, operating costs are more likely to be affected due to long voyages and large differences in port efficiency.But for cargo owners, the biggest trouble with the surcharge is that it is not as easy to lock in advance as the basic ocean freight, but new adjustments continue to appear during the transportation process.Export companies whose order profits are already thin often find it difficult to fully absorb these new costs.

04What impact will it have on freight forwarding and export companies?

First, heavy goods export companies need to recalculate the cost of 20-foot containers.Especially for machinery, equipment, metal products and other goods, it is not uncommon for goods to exceed 20 tons.Previously, only sea freight was considered when quoting, but now costs such as OWS need to be added to the logistics cost model in advance.Secondly, customers in African and Latin American markets may also face quotation adjustments.01 Industry Observation Judging from the recent actions of many shipping companies, surcharges are becoming an important tool for route profit management.For cargo owners and freight forwarders, they cannot just focus on changes in basic freight rates in the future.Some seemingly inconspicuous surcharges, such as overweight fees, peak season fees, and port congestion fees, may accumulate more directly than the impact of freight rate fluctuations.It is recommended that export companies confirm the latest charging rules for target routes in advance before shipping during the peak season, especially in markets prone to fee adjustments such as heavy containers, Africa, and Latin America, to avoid discovering that the cost exceeds expectations only after the goods have left the port.