Heavy Load Surcharge (HWS) Implementation North Europe & Mediterranean Area to Central America (incl. Mexico) and West Coast South America (B1S)

Maersk is implementing the Heavy Load Surcharge (HWS) for 20’ and 40’ dry containers (DC & TANK) with Verified Gross Mass (VGM) exceeding 20 metric tons for 20’ and 25 metric tons for 40’ from North Europe & Mediterranean Area to Central America (incl. Mexico) & West Coast South America. Effective price calculation date 12 June 2026.

The new tariff levels are as follows:

When Verified Gross Mass (VGM) exceeds the weight threshold, Heavy Load Surcharge will be triggered. The Verified Gross Mass (VGM) is the weight of the cargo including dunnage and bracing plus the tare weight of the container carrying this cargo.

Heavy Weight Surcharge will be applicable to all Ocean products excluding SPOT and Maersk Go.

For non-FMC, PCD refers to the scheduled departure date of the first water leg at the time of booking confirmation for non-spot bookings.
For FMC, PCD is last container gate-in date for non-spot bookings.

For your reference, you can always view the latest levels and rate structures directly on our Tariff Lookup page: https://www.maersk.com/tariff-lookup/
(Current coverage: FMC – Federal Maritime Commission and EEA – European Economic Area regulated countries)

For trades subject to the US Shipping Act or the China Maritime Regulations, quotations or surcharges that vary from the Maersk tariff shall not be binding on Maersk unless included in a service contract or service contract amendment that has been filed with the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) or the Shanghai Shipping Exchange, as applicable.

We review all surcharges regularly and you can find all surcharge updates here.

If you have any further questions, please contact your local Maersk representative. We are always standing by to help you plan your future supply chain moves and assist you with your logistical needs.