Asia–Mediterranean freight pricing: The costs beyond headline rates

Asia Mediterranean freight rates are entering a new adjustment period in November, with higher published tariffs and renewed surcharges adding complexity to the cost calculations facing cargo owners and freight forwarders.

Recent announcements from MSC and Maersk point to different approaches. MSC has raised its published Freight All Kinds (FAK) rates for the second half of November while extending the geographical application of piracy risk and Suez Canal surcharges. Maersk, meanwhile, has announced a new Peak Season Surcharge (PSS) from Far East Asia to Mediterranean destinations, following the withdrawal of its previous PSS across the trade in September.

The distinction matters because the carriers are not announcing equivalent pricing measures. MSC’s published FAK rates provide a basis for calculating specified additional charges, while Maersk’s PSS represents one component of its broader freight pricing structure. Comparing the two announcements directly would therefore give an incomplete picture of the cost facing a shipper.

MSC’s revised FAK rates announced on 29 October apply from 15 November until further notice, but not beyond 30 November 2026. They cover shipments from Far East ports to Northern Europe, Mediterranean destinations and the Black Sea.

This story was originally published by Container News. Read the full story at Container News →