The $3,000 Surcharge Arrived After CMA CGM's Ships Did

CMA CGM posted a $3,000-per-FEU conflict surcharge on March 1, effective the next day, after 14 ships were already trapped inside the Persian Gulf.

Singapore, the world's largest ship refueling port, saw bunker fuel cross $800 per metric ton in early May. That is 60% above the roughly $500 per ton carriers paid before the Hormuz closure on February 28. The European Federation for Transport and Environment put the daily cost to global shipping at €340 million.

Kpler tracked 53 container vessels initially trapped when the strait closed. As of May 7, 42 remained inside. CMA CGM entered with 14 ships across its BIGEX, CIMEX1, MIDAS, and KARIBU services; two, the Kribi and the Saigon, have since transited out, leaving 12 at anchor.

MSC started with 14 vessels and lost two to seizure. Eight remained inside as of May 7. Clarksons Research shows the global container fleet moving 2% slower than before February 28, as carriers trim speed to manage fuel costs.

ITS Logistics reported on May 14 that transpacific spot rates climbed 22% since early April and trans-Atlantic lanes jumped 46%. U.S. diesel reached $5.639 per gallon on May 11, up 29 cents since late April. June Goh of Sparta Commodities told Euronews on May 12 that carriers would soon pass higher fuel costs to customers.

Each of CMA CGM's 12 trapped ships burns roughly 20 metric tons of fuel a day at anchor, consistent with standard auxiliary consumption rates for large container vessels at low engine load. At $800 per metric ton, that totals roughly $192,000 a day across the anchored fleet. The ongoing burn points to the limit of the March 2 surcharge: it prices future cargo correctly but cannot recoup costs on voyages already under way.

The next ITS Logistics freight index publishes in mid-June. If the 22% transpacific gain has retraced by then, the surcharge tables will need another revision before CMA CGM's ships come home.