Lines reveal surcharge details

Alan Peat AS FTW forecast, port congestion surcharges are being slapped on all SA ports. First out of the gates was the Mediterranean Shipping Company which has decided to follow the conference levels and dates and impose a US$100 per twenty foot equivalent (TEU) surcharge on all import/export containers starting with the UK/NWC on May 24, USA on June 7 and Far East in June. The US conference was second off the blocks extending its US$75 per TEU surcharge from the Port of Durban to ALL ports. This was followed by the news that, from June 6, this will go up to US$100. Third starter was the Europe Southern Africa Conference (ESAC), which has imposed a “temporary emergency port additional” of US$100/TEU from yesterday (May 15). This from the sailings of the following SA Europe Container Service (SAECS) vessels: City of Stuttgart, Helderberg and Grey Fox southbound; and Winterberg, Safmarine Kei and Golden Isle northbound. This, said the conference, will be payable by the freight-payer, but will not apply to transhipment cargoes. Last out of the lists was the Far East conference, which has plumped for a US$100/TEU all ports surcharge from June 1 in addition to its newly announced general rates increase. (See page 16).