The surcharges, designed to cover longer voyages
around Africa compared with routes via the Suez Canal, will add to rising costs
for sea transport since Yemen’s Houthi militant group started targetting
vessels.
Maersk and CMA CGM
are among leading shipping lines to have suspended the passage of vessels
through the Red Sea that connects with the Suez Canal, directing ships instead
around the Cape of Good Hope at the southern tip of Africa.Citing “severe operational disruptionâ€, Maersk said late on Thursday 21
Dec that additional payments include an immediate transit disruption surcharge
(TDS) to cover extra costs associated with the longer journey as well as a peak
season surcharge (PSS) from Jan. 1.
CMA CGM also announced surcharges late on Thursday,
including an extra $325 per 20-foot container on the North Europe to Asia route
and $500 per 20-foot container for Asia to the Mediterranean.The charges were part of its contingency
plan to reroute vessels around the Cape of Good Hope, it said.
France-based CMA CGM listed 22 of its vessels as
having been re-routed.
The United States has announced a multinational force
to patrol the Red Sea, but shipping sources say details have yet to emerge and
companies continue to avoid the zone.