CMA CGM's Global Surcharge
CMA CGM Implements Global Fuel Surcharge August 1 Due to Hormuz Tensions and Rising Bunker Prices
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Key Points
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For long-haul headhaul, CMA CGM lists charges of $150 per TEU for dry containers and $165 per TEU for reefers, with euro equivalents of €130 and €145 per TEU respectively.
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Backhaul rates are set at $75 per TEU for dry cargo and $90 per TEU for reefers (with euro equivalents of €65 and €80 per TEU).
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The notices indicate the surcharge applies across all intra-regional trades and is the same regardless of direction (i.e., mutually applicable to both origins and destinations within the intra-regional network).
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CMA CGM published Advisory #12 about the surcharge, dated 21 July, detailing the rates and confirming the August 1 implementation date.
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Some outlets frame the move as a global application affecting CMA CGM’s networks worldwide, while others describe it initially for Middle East long-haul and intra-regional trades, indicating possible scope variance in reporting across sources.
CMA CGM, the world's third-largest container shipping line, will impose an Emergency Fuel Surcharge starting August 1, blaming renewed tensions in the Strait of Hormuz for a sharp rise in bunker costs. The charges range from $65 to $165 per container depending on route type and cargo, according to Datamarnews and Container News.
The French carrier published Advisory #12 on July 21, locking in the rates and the implementation date. The surcharge stays in effect until further notice, meaning shippers worldwide face higher freight bills with no set end date.
Hormuz Tensions Drive Bunker Costs Higher Again
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world's most critical shipping chokepoints. Renewed hostilities in the region have pushed global fuel prices — known in shipping as bunker costs — sharply higher. Container News reported that the spike has hit carriers across all regions and trades, reversing any recent easing in fuel expenses.
CMA CGM says the surge was unexpected and left it absorbing costs it cannot ignore. The carrier frames the surcharge as a direct response to geopolitical instability, not a routine rate adjustment. The Traveler noted the move comes on top of existing charges already in place on affected trades.
Exact Rates: What Shippers Will Pay Per Box
For long-haul headhaul routes, CMA CGM set the charge at $150 per TEU for standard dry containers and $165 per TEU for refrigerated reefer units. Euro equivalents are €130 and €145 per TEU respectively, according to Datamarnews. A TEU is a standard 20-foot shipping container — the basic unit carriers use to measure cargo.
Backhaul routes — cargo moving in the less-busy direction — get lower rates: $75 per TEU for dry cargo and $90 per TEU for reefers, or €65 and €80 in euros. Intra-regional trades, meaning shipments within the same region, carry a flat rate that applies equally in both directions, Container News reported.
Global or Middle East Only? Scope Remains Unclear
Some sources describe the surcharge as a global policy hitting CMA CGM's entire network worldwide. Others frame it more narrowly, applying first to Middle East long-haul and intra-regional trades. Benzinga reported the surcharge as a global implementation tied to rising bunker costs broadly, while The Traveler focused on trades directly exposed to Hormuz disruptions.
The distinction matters for shippers on Asia-Europe or trans-Pacific routes who may or may not face the new charge. CMA CGM has not publicly clarified which trade lanes fall outside the surcharge's reach. The advisory language — "all regions and trades" — suggests the carrier intends broad coverage.
Shippers Brace for Higher Costs With No End Date
Emergency fuel surcharges are separate from base freight rates. They add directly to a shipper's invoice and can compound quickly across large cargo volumes. At $150 per TEU on a long-haul route, a shipper moving 100 containers faces $15,000 in extra costs in August alone.
Ship.Energy noted the surcharge takes effect next month with no stated expiration. CMA CGM said it will remain in force "until further notice," giving the carrier flexibility to extend it as long as fuel costs stay elevated. Shippers should expect the charge to persist as long as Hormuz tensions do.
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