CMA CGM applies port congestion surcharge for refrigerated cargo to Yantian

A container ship of CMA-CGM (Photo: CMA-CGM)

Shipping line CMA CGM has joined with ONE (Ocean Network Express) in implementing a surcharge for refrigerated shipments to Yantian port, China due to congestion and most of the refrigerant plugs have been used.

The France-based container carrier suggested changing the port of discharge and warned that otherwise it could be forced to change and reroute. To cover the cost of rerouting trains to Yantian, CMA CGM applies a Port Congestion Surcharge (PCS) of USD 1,250 per reefer container.

The surcharge applies to ships from all other ports to Yantian from 11 June. Except for cargo originating from the US, Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, Venezuela, Uruguay, and Paraguay, the surcharge will be effective from July 21.

Maersk reported that the area east of the harbor in Yantian, where the main trains are operated, is operating at only 45 percent of normal capacity.

With congestion caused by enhanced Covid-19 containment measures also affecting South China ports like Shekou and Nansha, container lines are skipping ports and rerouting hundreds of vessels.

Congestion is also pushing already record freight rates even higher. Forwarding company ZenCargo reports that shipping a 40-foot container from Shanghai to Rotterdam currently costs a record USD 10,522.

The container freight index in Shanghai reached 3,703.93 points on June 11, compared with 2,300 points in December 2020 and below 1,000 points at the beginning of last year.

Source: Phaata.com (According to CMA CGM / SeatradeMaritime)

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