Effective June 15, CMA CGM Shipping Lines will commence the collection of a $1,200 Peak Season Surcharge per twenty-foot equivalent unit of containers on West African-bound cargoes, including Nigerian cargoes coming from Asia.
The company, in a notice issued to customers, said the surcharge reflects broader market dynamics as carriers respond to seasonal cargo surges and operational cost pressures along the Asia–Africa trade corridor.
Other destination markets affected by the surcharge include key ports like Côte d’Ivoire, Benin, Ghana, Togo, and Equatorial Guinea, as well as the South Range, which covers Angola, Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Namibia, Gabon, and Cameroon.
According to the shipping company, the surcharge will apply to dry cargo transported under short-term contracts “from Northeast Asia, Southeast Asia, China, and the Hong Kong & Macau Special Administrative Regions”.
The firm explained that the surcharge is “in addition to basic freight rates and does not cover other applicable costs such as bunker-related fees, terminal handling charges, and safety or security surcharges.”
Meanwhile, the company has imposed a separate surcharge on cargo from China destined for countries in West Africa’s North Range, which includes Liberia, Senegal, Mauritania, Gambia, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Guinea-Bissau, Cape Verde, and São Tomé & Príncipe.
The company said the surcharge for these destinations is set at $1,600 per 20-foot container, with charges for 40-foot containers remaining unchanged.
The shipping line emphasised that the updated charges exclude additional costs, including basic freight, bunker adjustment factors, THC, and safety and security surcharges.
“The surcharge adjustments are in response to seasonal market pressures and are intended to ensure uninterrupted service along one of the world’s busiest trade corridors during peak shipping periods,” the company stated.
It reiterated that the changes are part of its ongoing commitment to providing “reliable and efficient services” amid peak demand.
