Multiple shipping companies restart PSS surcharge

September and October traditionally mark the peak shipping season for international logistics. However, the 2026 container market presents a distinctive structural differentiation instead of the uniform price surge seen in previous years. While certain main lanes cancel peak season surcharges, others resume PSS collection. This pattern has invalidated the traditional freight-only booking strategy for foreign trade enterprises.

According to Maersk’s latest rate announcement, PSS has been officially canceled for Far East-to-North Europe and Far East-to-Mediterranean main lanes starting September 2026, covering all container types. This eases cost pressure on core Eurasian routes. Nevertheless, carriers are structurally shifting cost pressure to near-sea, niche and backhaul routes.

Meanwhile, new peak-season surcharges have been launched. Maersk will resume a PSS of USD 250 per container for West and East Mediterranean to North America routes effective October 7, 2026, applicable to all container types with no exemptions. CMA CGM also announced new peak-season adjustments, imposing high PSS on Far East-to-USA routes starting October 1, with charges on US East Coast and Gulf of Mexico routes reaching a record high, becoming the biggest cost variable in this peak season.

The market differentiation follows a clear logic. Sufficient capacity on core Eurasian lanes allows carriers to cancel PSS to maintain competitiveness. In contrast, US and Mediterranean-transit-North America routes face tightening space, pre-holiday cargo concentration and empty container imbalance, tightening supply and demand and prompting carriers to resume seasonal surcharges.

For exporters, the biggest risk this peak season is not overall freight surges, but cost misjudgment caused by information asymmetry. Many shippers still rely on past experience and only compare base freight rates, ignoring differentiated surcharge rules across routes and carriers, resulting in quotation losses, temporary rate increases and out-of-control shipment costs.

In addition, uneven space availability increases booking difficulty. Popular US transit routes face severe space shortages with higher risks of space locking, port skipping, delays and rollovers. Although core Eurasian routes show friendlier pricing, hidden risks such as schedule fluctuation, port congestion and berthing waiting remain prominent. The 2026 peak season features layered pricing, layered risks and layered timeliness.

Facing a highly differentiated peak market, foreign trade and logistics enterprises must abandon one-size-fits-all shipping strategies. For Q4 orders, comprehensive costs should be calculated separately by destination, route and carrier. Enterprises need to verify dynamic surcharges including PSS, risk fees and bunker adjustment fees, rather than merely comparing base rates. Advanced space booking and rate locking are recommended for volatile routes, while reasonable shipment scheduling is adopted for stable lanes to balance cost and timeliness.

In summary, the 2026 peak shipping season is no longer a simple price-rising cycle, but a structurally differentiated market requiring refined operation. Enterprises that accurately identify route differences, track surcharge adjustments and avoid space and schedule risks will secure profits and stable deliveries in the fourth quarter.

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