CMA CGM Adds Three Freight Surcharges
The carrier is imposing new charges on shipments from Beira, China and the Far East, effective between 1 and 30 November 2026.
Updated on Oct. 31, 2026 in Transportation
CMA CGM announced a US$100 per container Port Congestion Surcharge for shipments from Beira, Mozambique, citing congestion at the port. It also introduced an Overweight Surcharge of US$300 for selected China-to-Indian Ocean shipments and a US$300 per TEU Peak Season Surcharge for Far East shipments to Réunion.
Why it matters
The carrier attributes the Beira surcharge to port congestion, and the new charges raise the cost of moving dry, hazardous and out-of-gauge cargo across several trade lanes. Shippers using these routes will face higher freight costs, with shipments still subject to space availability.
CMA CGM is charging US$100 per container for Beira shipments, US$300 for overweight 20-foot dry containers from China, and US$300 per TEU for Far East shipments to Réunion. Whether the Réunion surcharge will appear as a separate line item or be folded into ocean freight rates has not been specified.
The players
CMA CGM
CMA CGM is a French container shipping company and one of the largest carriers in the world, operating global ocean freight services.
The details
The Beira congestion surcharge covers dry, hazardous and out-of-gauge cargo bound for all destinations, while an earlier Beira congestion surcharge reported in March 2026 did not apply to all destinations. For China shipments, the Réunion surcharge depends on applicable Shanghai Shipping Exchange filing requirements.
Timeline
The Overweight Surcharge takes effect on 1 November 2026 and remains in place until further notice.
The Beira and Réunion surcharges take effect on 15 November 2026.
The Beira surcharge applies to countries subject to filing requirements from 30 November 2026.
Market Landscape
The latest Beira charge widens the scope of the March 2026 congestion surcharge, which did not cover all destinations. Layered overweight and peak season charges across several lanes add to the cost pressure on shippers moving goods through these routes.
Importers shipping from Beira, China or the Far East to Réunion or Indian Ocean destinations should budget for these added charges from mid-November. Shippers should confirm with their freight forwarder whether the Réunion surcharge will appear separately or be included in the ocean rate.
The takeaway
Shippers on affected lanes should check whether their container weights, cargo types and destinations trigger the new surcharges before their bookings are confirmed. Early planning can help avoid unexpected costs as the November charges take effect.
What happens next
The Overweight Surcharge takes effect on 1 November 2026, the Beira and Réunion surcharges on 15 November 2026, and the Beira surcharge for filing-requirement countries on 30 November 2026.
Further reading
Track more freight and logistics developments in the Transportation section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Container News.
