A levy of US$300 per 20-foot container or cargo weighing over 18 metric tonnes has been announced by MSC on boxes moving from India to the US East/West/Gulf Coasts and San Juan, Puerto Rico. The surcharge will be effective on containers handed over to MSC from August 10 onwards.
As demand spikes on the India-US routes due to the traditional peak season and fewer sailings due to supply chain disruptions, many liners are following suit by levying equipment imbalance and space guarantee surcharge.
Ocean rates from India to the US east and west coasts have recently soared to the levels that rekindled memories of pandemic-linked highs seen in the first half of 2022. India-US trade is seeing traction, thanks to the China-plus-one strategy increasingly adopted by global importers for their procurement from Asia.
