Danish shipping company Maersk will introduce a peak season surcharge on dry-container shipments from Southeast Asia to Oceania from 1 November 2026.
For shipments to Australia, Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands, the surcharge will be USD 500 per 20-foot container and USD 1,000 per 40-foot container.
For New Zealand and other listed Pacific destinations, the rates will be USD 300 and USD 600 respectively. The surcharge is an additional charge on top of ocean freight.
The announcement covers all 11 Southeast Asian countries: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste and Vietnam. Several other Asian markets are also included.
Existing pressure on freight costs
The change comes against a backdrop of rising shipping costs. In its September market update, freight forwarder KLN Oceania warned that importers sourcing from Southeast Asia should expect steeper price increases than those sourcing from China.
KLN advised businesses to confirm freight prices when booking. Its assessment predates Maersk’s announcement on 1 October.
Maersk’s surcharge applies to non-SPOT bookings based on the Price Calculation Date. For these routes, that generally means the scheduled departure date of the first sea leg recorded at booking confirmation. SPOT bookings are exempt.
Source: Maersk, KLN Oceania
