Hapag-Lloyd Expands Pakistan to Arabian Gulf Reefer Surcharge

Hapag-Lloyd will implement a US$500 Peak Season Surcharge (PSS) on refrigerated containers moving from Pakistan to the broader Arabian Gulf, significantly widening the geographic scope of a previous regional levy.

The surcharge applies to 40-foot high-cube reefer units departing from Karachi and Port Qasim between 16 and 30 November 2026. The expanded destination list now includes Bahrain, Oman, Iraq, Kuwait, and Qatar, in addition to the United Arab Emirates.

This move follows a more limited PSS that Hapag-Lloyd applied to shipments from Pakistan specifically to UAE ports for the first half of November. By extending the surcharge to the entire Arabian Gulf for the second half of the month, the carrier indicates that the demand surge or capacity constraints for temperature-controlled cargo are no longer confined to the UAE hub but have localized across the entire regional trade lane.

The implementation of these surcharges in two distinct, consecutive blocks suggests a tactical response to a specific seasonal peak in Pakistani perishables. For shippers, the US$500 per container increase represents a significant cost adjustment for a narrow two-week window, signaling tight reefer plug availability on vessels serving these routes during the late November period.

The surcharge applies to all sailings within the specified dates, reflecting a concerted effort to manage equipment imbalances or high utilization levels as the regional peak season intensifies.

Source: Container News