Maersk: Surcharge Applies, Up to €319 Per Case

As the European Union plans to include shipping in the Emissions Trading System (ETS) starting next year, Maersk recently announced that it plans to impose a carbon surcharge on customers from the first quarter of next year to share the costs of complying with the ETS and ensure transparency.

“The cost of complying with an ETS can be substantial and therefore affect transport costs. It is expected that the volatility of EU quotas (EUAs) traded in an ETS may increase as the revised legislation comes into effect. To ensure transparency, we plan to start from 2023 These charges will be levied as stand-alone surcharges starting in the first quarter of 2018," Sebastian Von Hayn, head of network and markets for Asia/EU at Maersk, said in a note to clients.

According to information on Maersk's website, a minimum surcharge will be levied on routes from northern Europe to the Far East, with a surcharge of 99 euros for ordinary containers and 149 euros for reefer containers.

The highest surcharge will be levied on routes from the West Coast of South America to Europe, with a surcharge of EUR 213 for normal container shipments and EUR 319 for reefer container shipments.