Maersk raises emergency contingency surcharges from Saudi Arabia and Jordan on 13 November

Maersk announced on 3 November 2026 that it will increase its Emergency Contingency Surcharge (ECS) for container shipments from Saudi Arabia and Jordan to destinations in the Indian subcontinent, Gulf region, East Africa and South Africa. The revised levels are scheduled to apply from the Price Calculation Date (PCD) of 13 November 2026.

According to the carrier’s published rate notice, the ECS for Saudi Arabia and Jordan to India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Nepal, Maldives, Oman and the UAE will rise from USD 1,800 to USD 2,500 per 20-foot dry container, and from USD 3,000 to USD 3,700 per 40-foot dry/high-cube container. For South Africa, the corresponding levels also rise to USD 2,500 and USD 3,700. For East Africa, they increase from USD 2,100 to USD 2,800 per 20-foot dry container and from USD 3,600 to USD 4,300 per 40-foot dry/high-cube container. Maersk states that the surcharge also applies to out-of-gauge, shipper-owned and non-operating reefer containers on the stated trades.

The notice specifies that the applicable PCD differs by booking type and regulatory setting. For non-spot bookings outside US Federal Maritime Commission filing requirements, it is generally the scheduled departure date of the first water leg at booking confirmation; for spot bookings, it is the first-vessel estimated departure at confirmation. The published charge is also stated to be separate from other applicable local and contingency charges.

The announcement is a carrier-specific commercial notice, not evidence of a market-wide freight-rate change or of identical action by other lines. Maersk’s notice does not explicitly assign a cause for the revised ECS levels. However, in separate opening remarks to its Council session on 2 November, the International Maritime Organization said commercial shipping remained exposed to attacks in the Strait of Hormuz, Red Sea, Bab-el-Mandeb, Eastern Mediterranean, Black Sea and Sea of Azov. That statement independently corroborates a continuing high-risk operating environment for shipping, but does not independently verify Maersk’s pricing rationale.

**Why this matters:** For cargo interests and chartering or logistics teams moving cargo from Saudi Arabia or Jordan, the change can materially alter landed-cost calculations and booking decisions for sailings priced from 13 November. Operators, claims handlers and insurers should distinguish the announced carrier charge from war-risk insurance premiums, freight rates and contractual pass-through rights, which may be governed by separate terms. **Analysis:** The short lead time between publication and effective PCD increases the value of checking booking confirmation dates, surcharge clauses and customer quotations before cargo handover.