Middle East Pressure: Maersk Shifts to Weekly Fuel Surcharge Mechanism in Three European Countries

A.P. Moller - Maersk has announced updates to the fuel surcharges applicable across its entire network in Portugal, Spain, and France. This move comes in response to sharply rising fuel costs, a direct consequence of the complex developments currently unfolding in the Middle East.

Transitioning to a Weekly Adjustment Mechanism

The most notable aspect of this update is the Danish carrier's decision to shift from its previous monthly calculation method to a weekly review system.

Key changes under the new mechanism include:

●    Surcharge levels will be updated weekly on Thursdays.

●    No trigger mechanism will be applied during this period.

●    The system is designated as a temporary measure, deployed based on actual market cost volatility.

These surcharges will be reflected in the quoting system under the following codes:

●    EFS (Export Fuel Surcharge)

●    IFS (Import Fuel Surcharge)

Applicable Surcharge Details (May 4 – May 10)

Below are the detailed fuel surcharge rates for each inland transport mode across the three European markets for the first week of May:

In Portugal:

●    Truck: 10.3%

●    Rail: 10.3%

●    Rail combined: 10.3%

In Spain:

●    Truck: 16.6%

●    Rail combined: 4.2%

In France:

●    Truck: 12.1%

●    Rail combined: 5.5%

●    Barge and barge combined: 17%

Prolonged Volatility Pressures

Maersk has affirmed that these surcharges will be maintained as long as fuel costs remain elevated. The carrier also leaves open the possibility of further adjustments depending on real-time market conditions.

Maersk's move to implement emergency surcharges reflects the profound pressure weighing on the industry-wide logistics cost structure, amid an energy market that is reacting extremely sensitively to geopolitical risks directly threatening the global fuel supply chain.

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Source: Phaata.com (According to Container News)

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