Maersk will apply a surcharge for heavy cargo for 20-ton containers from the Mediterranean to the U.S. and Canada

Maerskhas announced the implementation of aHeavy Load Surcharge (HWS)for 20-foot containers (20DC and 20TANK) whoseVerified Gross Mass (VGM)exceeds 20 tons, applicable to shipments from Mediterranean countries to Houston (U.S.) and Canada.The surcharge will be250 dollars per containerand will come into effect fromApril 20, 2026. It applies to all maritime products, including contracts, SPOT, Maersk Go, and others.The countries of origin included are:Albania, Algeria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Egypt, France, Georgia, Greece, Israel, Italy, Lebanon, Morocco, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Tunisia, Turkey, and Ukraine, and the HWS will be activated when the VGM — which includes the weight of the cargo, lashing material, and the empty container weight — exceeds 20 tons.Maersk reminds that for non-SPOT bookings under FMC regulation or from China, the calculation date for the price is defined according to the scheduled departure of the first maritime leg or the last entry date of the container, as applicable. For SPOT bookings, the rate is applied according to the reservation confirmation date.