Multiple Shipping Lines Announce August Rate Adjustments: Maersk, Hapag-Lloyd Impose Peak Season Surcharges (PSS)
Publish Time: 2025-07-22 Origin: Site
1. Major Carrier PSS Adjustments
Maersk
- Route: China, Hong Kong → South Africa/Mauritius 
- Effective Date: July 28, 2025 
- PSS Rates: 
- 20’ dry container: $1,000 
- 40’ dry container: $1,600 
Hapag-Lloyd (HPL)
- Route: Far East, Indian Subcontinent, Middle East → Australia 
- Effective Date: August 1, 2025 
- PSS Rates: $300/TEU (all container types) 
- Coverage: 
- Far East: China, Japan, South Korea, Southeast Asia, etc. 
- Middle East: UAE, Saudi Arabia, etc. 
- Australia: Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, etc. 
2. Global Freight Rate Trends
US Routes See Slight Recovery
- SCFI Index: Fell for five consecutive weeks, dropping to 1,733.29 points (-1.71%) last week. 
- US West/East Rates Rebound: 
- US West Coast: +5.02% 
- US East Coast: +1.16% 
- Carrier Strategy: Capacity cuts expected, with 25% more blank sailings in August. 
Europe Routes Stabilize, Potential Increase Ahead
- Current Trends: Europe rates down 0.09%, Mediterranean rates down 7.04%. 
- Factors Driving Future Increases: 
- 30% US tariffs on EU goods (effective August 1) 
- Ongoing European port congestion (e.g., Piraeus at 92% yard density) 
- Carriers likely to push for further rate hikes. 
3. Market Impact & Recommendations
Shipper Strategies:
- Book early to avoid August rate hikes. 
- Monitor Europe routes—tariffs may drive up costs. 
- Evaluate alternative routes, as US trade lanes remain volatile.