Industry sources said the imposition of war-related levies was expected, given the need for carriers to recover higher operational and insurance costs
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Shipping lines are imposing Emergency Conflict Surcharge (ECS) and War Risk Surcharge (WRS) ranging between $1,500 and $4,000 per container for cargo moving to and from various ports in the Arabian Peninsula. Some carriers have also stopped accepting cargo for the region.
French shipping firm CMA CGM said it would levy an Emergency Conflict Surcharge from Monday. The ECS will be $2,000 per 20-foot dry container, $3,000 per 40-foot dry container, and $4,000 per reefer or special equipment.
The levy applies to all cargo moving to or from Iraq, Bahrain, Kuwait, Yemen, Qatar, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt (Port of Ain Sokhna), Djibouti, Sudan and Eritrea. “We understand these measures may impact your logistics and supply chain operations; however, they are necessary steps that also lead to additional operational costs,” the company said.
German carrier Hapag-Lloyd has introduced a War Risk Surcharge for cargo to and from the Upper Gulf, Arabian Gulf and Persian Gulf, citing the volatile situation around the Strait of Hormuz and the resulting operational disruptions that are impacting schedules and equipment availability. The WRS, effective Monday, will be $1,500 per twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU) for standard containers and $3,500 per container for reefer boxes and special equipment.
Suspends booking
Meanwhile, Swiss major MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company, as a precautionary measure, has suspended all bookings for worldwide cargo to the Middle East region until further notice.
Industry sources said the imposition of war-related levies was expected, given the need for carriers to recover higher operational and insurance costs, but added that the quantum of the surcharges was steep.
Published on March 2, 2026