ports

Container Lines Impose Hormuz Surcharges as Strait Disruptions Persist

Major container carriers are implementing emergency surcharges to offset additional operational costs from Strait of Hormuz transit uncertainty. Hapag-Lloyd has instituted Middle East emergency surcharges on bookings from Indian ports to the Persian Gulf, with fees reaching $7,200 for 40-foot containers routed from Mundra and Nhava Sheva through Salalah, Oman under carrier haulage terms. The Hamburg-based line cited vessel positioning, terminal handling expenses, and elevated insurance premiums for regional port calls as justification. Surcharges apply to shipments already in transit and may increase for hazardous cargo. CMA CGM has tightened capacity by restricting merchant haulage bookings to Saudi Arabia's Jeddah Port, though the carrier continues accepting shipments to UAE, Oman, and Qatar destinations. The moves underscore ongoing landside capacity constraints affecting end-to-end service delivery across conflict-zone ports.