Container Rates Under Pressure Due to Surcharges in the Persian Gulf
The global container shipping rates show a mixed picture in March 2026. While the Drewry World Container Index stands at 1,958 USD per 40-foot container, additional surcharges are driving the effective transportation costs significantly higher.
The trigger is the tense situation surrounding the Persian Gulf. Shipping companies are responding with specific risk surcharges, which can reach several thousand euros depending on the type of container. For shippers, this means a new cost structure that exceeds the actual base freight.
The Drewry Index shows a moderate recovery after several weeks of decline. At the beginning of March, the index rose by about 3 percent compared to the end of February. However, this development only reflects the basic freight. The actual transport costs are much higher due to additional fees.
Particularly affected are East-West trades between Asia and Europe. Here, longer transit times, reroutings, and rising bunker costs directly impact pricing. In parallel, Transpacific routes are developing somewhat independently, as different demand factors dominate there.
Several major shipping lines implemented specific surcharges at the beginning of March. Hapag-Lloyd charges approximately 1,500 EUR per standard container. CMA CGM imposes surcharges of up to 4,000 EUR for refrigerated containers. Maersk operates at a comparable level, depending on the route and equipment.
Additionally, Bunker Adjustment Factors (BAF), or fuel surcharges, are increasing. Higher oil prices directly affect the operating costs of ships and are passed on to customers through added fees. This results in a cumulative cost structure consisting of the base rate, fuel surcharge, and geopolitical risk surcharge.
For shippers with existing annual contracts, the situation largely depends on the contractual clauses. Contracts without clear provisions for crisis surcharges offer little protection against additional costs. Companies without contractual obligations are fully exposed to the spot market and currently bear the highest burden.
The current development shows how quickly external factors can change costs in ocean freight. The market remains volatile, and short-term adjustments are once again part of the everyday reality in transport planning.