Maersk and ONE Hike Environmental Surcharges on Asia–Europe Trades Effective October 2026

Ocean carrier Maersk is increasing its Environmental Fuel Surcharge / Environmental Surcharge (EMS/ESS) on Far East–North Europe routes from USD 155 to USD 170/FEU - a 9.7% jump effective October 1, 2026. On the same date, Ocean Network Express (ONE) will increase its Europe Environment Surcharge (EES) on the Asia/Oceania–Europe trade from USD 204 to USD 220/FEU, up 7.8%. Both surcharges apply to containers loaded across Far East/Asia trade brackets, which include Vietnam, and are indexed against average EU Allowance (EUA) prices during a fixed reference window.

Key Takeaways:

●    Maersk EMS/ESS (Far East–North Europe): Increases from USD 155 to USD 170/FEU (+9.7%) effective October 1, 2026; 20-foot dry containers rise from USD 78 to USD 85, while 40-foot reefer units move from USD 231 to USD 255.

●    ONE EES (Asia/Oceania–Europe): Increases from USD 204 to USD 220/FEU (+7.8%) on the same date; 20-foot dry containers rise from USD 102 to USD 110, while 40-foot reefers move from USD 392 to USD 420.

●    Calculation Baseline: Maersk calculated its Q4 EMS/ESS using an average EUA benchmark of EUR 78.97/tonne over the reference period of May 16 to August 15, 2026—higher than the EUR 71.07/tonne benchmark utilized for Q3.

●    MSC’s Alternative Mechanism: MSC does not publish quarterly Carbon Limitation Surcharge (CLS) / Carbon Review Surcharge (CRS) schedules. Its latest advisory, set at USD 20/TEU plus USD 81–120/TEU depending on the destination, was published on July 30, 2026, and is revised alongside fortnightly FAK rate circulars.

●    Geographical Grouping: Cargo originating in Vietnam falls under Maersk’s "Far East Asia" or ONE’s "Asia/Oceania" geographic groupings, alongside China, South Korea, and other Southeast Asian origins.

EMS/ESS and EES Rebound Following Q3 Softening

Maersk's Q4/2026 surcharge schedule represents a pivot from Q3 dynamics. Far East–North Europe EMS/ESS rates previously fell approximately 14.4% from Q2 levels to USD 155/FEU, according to Phaata's analysis published on August 14, 2026. The incoming Q4 tariff is derived from an average EUA settlement price of EUR 78.97/tonne across the May 16–August 15, 2026 reference window, which rose above the EUR 71.07/tonne reference level applied to Q3 (window: February 16–May 15, 2026).

EMS and ESS represent the same underlying surcharge applied across different contracting structures: ESS covers spot bookings or short-term agreements valid up to 31 days, whereas EMS applies to longer-term contractual business. For exports originating in mainland China (excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan), Maersk embeds this environmental levy directly into the base ocean freight rather than publishing it as a standalone surcharge item. This accounting treatment does not apply to shipments originating in Vietnam.

Concurrently, ONE raised its EES on the Asia/Oceania–Europe corridor from USD 204 to USD 220/FEU, following a 12.8% quarterly contraction in Q3 from its Q2 peak of USD 234/FEU, as noted by Phaata on August 19, 2026.

Since July 1, 2026, ONE has consolidated UK ETS compliance costs into its single EES line item, having commenced 100% allowance surrenders for United Kingdom Allowances (UKAs) under the expanded UK Emissions Trading Scheme. The carrier's Q4 schedule maintains this consolidated scope introduced in Q3. In contrast, Maersk has adopted an alternative approach, having determined that current cost impacts stemming from the UK ETS remain nominal, thereby omitting them from the EMS/ESS mechanism.

MSC Tracks Carbon Adjustments Dynamically Rather Than Quarterly

MSC handles carbon compliance by unbundling costs into two discrete line items outside its baseline FAK rates: the Carbon Limitation Surcharge (CLS) and the Carbon Review Surcharge (CRS). Notably, both charges are assessed on a per-TEU basis (per 20-foot container equivalent) and applied uniformly across container sizes, unlike Maersk and ONE which differentiate charges between 20-foot and 40-foot equipment.

MSC’s most recent tariff publication on July 30, 2026—applicable for the validity window of August 15–31, 2026—maintained the fixed CLS at USD 20/TEU, unchanged since early 2026. The variable CRS stood at USD 81/TEU for North Europe and USD 120/TEU for Mediterranean destinations. This brings MSC's total combined carbon surcharge to USD 101/TEU on the Far East–North Europe trade.

Unlike its European counterparts, MSC does not align its carbon revisions to calendar quarters; instead, it updates them concurrently with standard FAK rate circulars, typically on a bi-weekly cycle. North Europe CRS levels have adjusted through sequential levels of USD 84, 91, 78, and 81/TEU over the first eight months of 2026. MSC records do not show a tariff notice newer than July 30, 2026 for the Far East–Europe route, meaning there is no direct "Q4" equivalent tariff to benchmark against Maersk and ONE at this time.

Vietnam belongs to the broader Far East/Asia regional groupings to which Maersk, ONE, and MSC apply these regional surcharge schedules. These regional tariffs are not broken out individually by origin country. The underlying charges reflect compliance liabilities under the European Union Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) and FuelEU Maritime regulations. Entering 2026, carrier surrender obligations for verified greenhouse gas emissions under EU ETS reached 100%, while the regulatory perimeter expanded to incorporate methane ($\text{CH}_4$) and nitrous oxide ($\text{N}_2\text{O}$).

Benchmark December 2026 EUA futures averaged EUR 82.36/tonne through August 2026, trading near EUR 83.30/tonne toward month's end—tracking noticeably higher than the EUR 78.97/tonne calculation baseline utilized for Maersk’s Q4 tariffs, according to Intermodal’s Week 35/2026 market intelligence report.

Key Implications for Shippers and BCOs

●    Direct Cost Impact on Long-Haul Moves: Forty-foot containers headed to Northern Europe via Maersk starting October 1, 2026, will face an adjusted EMS/ESS of USD 170/FEU, up from USD 155 in Q3. Bookings with Price Calculation Dates (PCD) prior to the effective date will retain Q3 tariffs, subject to contractual terms.

●    ONE Cost Increases: Cargo moving via ONE on Asia/Oceania–Europe corridors will see its EES rise to USD 220/FEU (from USD 204/FEU), with 40-foot reefer equipment jumping from USD 392 to USD 420.

●    Validity of Historical Quotations: Freight quotations generated before September 1, 2026 (prior to Maersk's Q4 tariff circular) may understate landing costs if contractual terms lack an automated passthrough provision for carrier regulatory surcharges.

●    Surcharge Volatility on MSC: Shippers routing via MSC do not have quarterly price locks for carbon surcharges. The latest baseline of USD 20/TEU plus USD 81/TEU for Northern Europe was tied to the late-August rate window and remains subject to revision on subsequent FAK circulars.

Key Implications for Freight Forwarders and NVOCCs

●    Pricing Gap Management: Unadjusted customer quotations on Far East–North Europe moves via Maersk will suffer a margin shortfall of USD 15/FEU from October 1 onwards.

●    Carrier Surcharge Spread: The environmental surcharge variance between Maersk and ONE on North Europe services widens marginally in Q4: ONE’s EES sits USD 50/FEU higher than Maersk’s combined EMS/ESS, compared to a USD 49/FEU spread in Q3.

●    MSC Margin Leakage Risks: When putting together rate proposals involving MSC, forwarders must unbundle CLS and CRS from base FAK ocean rates to prevent margin leakage. Tariffs of USD 20/TEU (CLS) plus USD 81–120/TEU (CRS) require monitoring every two weeks.

●    UK Port Call Accounting: Shipments routed to or via the UK with ONE remain subject to the broadened EES scope implemented on July 1, reflecting 100% UKA compliance. Forwarding billing systems must maintain this component in Q4 rate sheets.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ)

By how much are Maersk's Q4/2026 EMS/ESS surcharges increasing?

On the Far East–North Europe trade, Maersk's EMS/ESS increases from USD 155 to USD 170/FEU (+9.7%), effective October 1, 2026. The new level is calculated using an average EUA benchmark of EUR 78.97/tonne over the May 16–August 15, 2026 reference period, up from EUR 71.07/tonne applied in Q3.

What is the new Q4/2026 EES level for ONE?

On Asia/Oceania–Europe services, ONE's EES increases from USD 204 to USD 220/FEU (+7.8%) starting October 1, 2026. Twenty-foot dry containers increase from USD 102 to USD 110, while 40-foot reefer containers rise from USD 392 to USD 420.

Has MSC released its Q4/2026 carbon surcharges?

At the time of writing, no dedicated "Q4" circular exists for MSC's Far East–Europe services. MSC's latest circular, issued July 30, 2026, set the CLS at USD 20/TEU and the CRS between USD 81 and USD 120/TEU depending on routing. Unlike Maersk and ONE, MSC reviews and revises these carbon components alongside its regular FAK rate updates, typically every two weeks.

Do Maersk, ONE, and MSC calculate environmental surcharges identically?

No. Maersk and ONE segment their surcharges based on container size and equipment type (20ft, 40ft dry, 40ft reefer), whereas MSC structures its CLS/CRS strictly on a per-TEU basis across all equipment sizes. Containerized exports originating from Vietnam are categorized under Maersk's "Far East Asia" or ONE's "Asia/Oceania" groupings, alongside China, South Korea, and Southeast Asian origins.

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Source: Phaata.com 

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Reference source: Maersk, ONE, MSC, Container News