Maersk lifts Kenya peak surcharge to US$2,000 per 40ft from 9 Nov

Market Context & Direct Impact

Asia-to-Africa peak surcharges start 1 November, and the headline rate understates landed cost. CMA CGM's revised peak season surcharges (PSS) cover West, East and Southern Africa from 1 November 2026. Its US$900 per TEU charge on China cargo to southern West Africa applies only under short-term contracts, and its US$300 per TEU charge to South Africa and Mozambique follows the same basis. CMA CGM says these surcharges sit apart from bunker, terminal, safety and security charges, so the PSS line alone does not show the full bill.

Maersk raises its own Kenya and Dar es Salaam charges from 9 November, while spot softens. Maersk will increase its PSS from China and Hong Kong to Kenya and Dar es Salaam from 9 November, and its table lists US$2,000 for a 40-foot box to Kenya. Maersk says the revised charges remain until further notice. Swire Shipping's emergency bunker surcharge rises for bills of lading dated on or after 15 November, and its scope includes Africa. Against this, The Loadstar reports slight declines this week on transpacific and Asia-Europe spot, lanes that its report names and that do not include Africa. Xeneta's Ocean Outlook 2027 forecasts a 30% fall in global average spot rates for 2027 against a Q3 2026 baseline, and Xeneta says that outcome is not guaranteed. Our reading: carriers appear to be defending Africa-bound rate levels ahead of that expected softening, though no carrier has said so.

Core Executive Takeaways

• Surcharges stack upCarrier PSS notices sit on top of bunker and terminal charges, so budget the whole landed cost, not the surcharge line.
• Spot and surcharges divergeSpot is slipping on the lanes The Loadstar tracks while Africa-bound peak charges rise, which gives shippers a negotiating point.
• 2027 is a forecastXeneta's 30% spot decline for 2027 is one analyst firm's forecast, and Xeneta itself says it is not guaranteed.

Strategic Playbook

1. 1
   Split short-term bookings

   Confirm which Africa bookings sit on short-term contracts before loading from 1 November, because CMA CGM's US$900 per TEU charge applies only there.

2. 2
   Request line-item breakdowns

   Ask Maersk and CMA CGM for a per-box split of PSS, bunker and overweight charges on Kenya, Dar es Salaam and South Africa lanes, and retest those rates when the 2027 contract cycle opens.

Filed 09:26 GMT, 8 November 2026, for the first edition of 8 Nov.
As agents only.

Sources

1. CMA CGM announces new Asia-Africa surcharges for NovemberContainer News, published 28 October 2026
2. Maersk revises peak season surcharges from Asia to AfricaContainer News, published 27 October 2026
3. Swire Shipping raises emergency bunker surchargeContainer News, published 4 November 2026
4. Calmer waters for container spot rates, but 'fragile' Middle East a threatThe Loadstar, published 6 November 2026
5. Xeneta Summit: Analysts forecast ocean freight spot rates to fall 30% in 2027 as Red Sea return sees capacity flooding backXeneta, published 5 November 2026

Claims ledger: 12 facts and where each comes from

• CMA CGM's revised peak season surcharges cover shipments to West, East and Southern Africa from 1 November 2026.¹
• CMA CGM applies US$900 per TEU for dry and reefer cargo from China to southern West Africa under short-term contracts from 1 November 2026.¹
• CMA CGM's US$300 per TEU peak season surcharge covers China cargo to Madagascar, Mozambique, Mauritius and South Africa, on short-term contracts from 1 November.¹
• CMA CGM says its surcharges are separate from bunker-related, terminal handling, safety and security, and other local or contingency charges.¹
• Maersk will increase peak season surcharges from China and Hong Kong to Kenya and Dar es Salaam from 9 November 2026.²
• Maersk's table lists US$2,000 for a 40-foot container to Kenya and US$1,000 for a 20-foot container to Kenya.²
• Maersk says the revised peak season surcharges for Southern and East Africa remain applicable until further notice.²
• Swire Shipping's raised Emergency Bunker Surcharge applies to shipments with a Bill of Lading dated on or after 15 November 2026.³
• Swire's Emergency Bunker Surcharge scope includes Africa, the Middle East and the Indian Subcontinent among its origins and destinations.³
• The Loadstar reports slight declines this week on transpacific and Asia-Europe container spot rates, as demand remained seasonally subdued.⁴
• Xeneta's Ocean Outlook 2027 forecasts a 30% fall in global average spot rate for 2027, a full-year average against a Q3 2026 baseline.⁵
• Xeneta chief analyst Peter Sand warned the 2027 forecast is not guaranteed.⁵

Every figure above is tied to a cited source that was checked on the day of filing. Found an error? Tell the desk.