Hapag-Lloyd announces new peak season surcharges on Asia–Africa routes

Hapag-Lloyd has announced new Peak Season Surcharges (PSS) for container shipments from Asia and Oceania to selected African ports, with the revised charges scheduled to take effect on 25 October 2026.

The surcharges will apply to shipments originating in China, Korea, Japan, Southeast Asia and Oceania, covering two groups of African destinations.

Depending on the destination, the announced charges range from US$400 to US$800 per TEU and will remain in effect until further notice.

Surcharge for Northwest African destinations

Hapag-Lloyd will introduce a PSS of US$400 per TEU for shipments from the specified Asian and Oceanian origins to five African ports.

The destinations covered are Nouakchott in Mauritania, Dakar in Senegal, Freetown in Sierra Leone, Monrovia in Liberia and Banjul in Gambia.

According to the carrier, the surcharge will apply to all container types for cargo loaded on board from 25 October 2026.

The measure will remain in effect until further notice, with no expiry date specified in the announcement.

Higher surcharge for additional African ports

A separate PSS of US$800 per TEU will apply to shipments from the same origins to a wider group of destinations in western and central Africa.

The affected ports include Luanda, Lobito and Cabinda in Angola; Pointe-Noire in the Republic of the Congo; Matadi and Boma in the Democratic Republic of the Congo; and Libreville and Port-Gentil in Gabon.

The surcharge also covers Kribi and Douala in Cameroon, Walvis Bay in Namibia, and Bata and Malabo in Equatorial Guinea.

Hapag-Lloyd said the charge will apply to all container types for cargo from 25 October 2026 and remain valid until further notice.

Both announcements specify charges per TEU. The carrier did not provide an explanation for the difference between the two surcharge levels.