MSC Extends Piracy and Suez Surcharges to All Mediterranean Ports

MSC is expanding its Piracy Risk Surcharge and Suez Canal Surcharge to encompass all remaining ports in the Mediterranean and Black Sea, marking a significant broadening of the carrier’s cost-recovery measures for Asia-origin cargo.

The updated scope now includes the West Mediterranean, East Mediterranean, Adriatic, North Africa, and Black Sea regions. This move follows a phased rollout that began in September, when the surcharges were initially limited to selected East Mediterranean and Black Sea destinations before being expanded to additional ports across the region.

The extension to all remaining regional ports is scheduled to take effect on November 15, 2026, based on the proforma date. MSC has indicated that these charges will remain in place until further notice, citing ongoing security conditions and piracy risks around the Arabian Peninsula that continue to impact vessel operations and service networks.

Operational Re-baselining

By applying these surcharges across the entire Mediterranean basin, MSC is effectively standardizing the cost of the Asia-to-Mediterranean trade lane. This shift suggests that the carrier no longer views the security-related disruptions as localized issues affecting specific ports, but as a systemic cost factor for any cargo transiting from Asia to the region.

For shippers, this universal application removes the previous regional cost disparities between East and West Mediterranean discharge ports. It reflects an operational reality where the necessity of either transiting high-risk zones or rerouting around the Cape of Good Hope applies equally to the entire Mediterranean service network, regardless of the final destination port.

Source: Container News