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CMA CGM Slaps Fresh Peak Season Surcharge on Nigeria-bound China Cargo
CMA CGM Slaps Fresh Peak Season Surcharge on Nigeria-bound China Cargo
By Okeoghene Onoriobe, Waterways News Correspondent, Lagos
Nigerian importers are bracing for higher freight bills after global container carrier CMA CGM activated a new Peak Season Surcharge (PSS) on shipments originating from China and destined for West Africa, with Nigeria absorbing a rate of $575 per twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU).
The surcharge, which took effect on 27 March 2026, applies to all cargo types and is aimed primarily at short-term shipping contracts. CMA CGM described the measure as essential to sustaining service reliability on its Asia–West Africa trade lanes during a period of elevated cargo demand.
Nigeria is not alone in bearing the new cost burden. Other West African markets — including Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Benin, Togo, and Equatorial Guinea — will attract a slightly higher rate of $590 per TEU under the same directive.
Peak Season Surcharges are a standard industry tool used by ocean carriers to manage capacity strain when cargo volumes rise sharply on high-traffic routes. The Asia–West Africa corridor has seen growing strategic importance as regional economies deepen their reliance on Chinese manufactured goods, machinery, and consumer products.
For Nigerian traders, however, the timing is sensitive. Freight costs in Naira terms remain considerably elevated against the backdrop of ongoing exchange rate volatility, meaning any dollar-denominated surcharge translates into an amplified burden for businesses operating with local currency liquidity.
Nigeria Watch
The latest CMA CGM surcharge lands at a critical moment for Nigeria’s import-dependent trade ecosystem. Apapa and Tin Can Island ports — which handle the bulk of containerised cargo entering the country — are already navigating congestion pressures and terminal throughput constraints. Any uptick in landed freight costs risks being passed along the supply chain to manufacturers, distributors, and ultimately end consumers.
Freight forwarders and customs agents at Lagos port are expected to factor the new PSS into their cost schedules immediately, given the 27 March effective date. Shippers operating under existing long-term freight agreements may have limited exposure in the short term, but spot cargo and new bookings from China will feel the impact directly.
The Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) and the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) will be watching closely. With Nigeria’s import bill heavily weighted towards Chinese goods — ranging from industrial equipment to fast-moving consumer goods — any sustained increase in ocean freight tariffs from major carriers like CMA CGM has the potential to ripple through domestic prices.
NIMASA and the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy may also wish to engage shipping lines on transparency around surcharge justifications, particularly as the country pushes to deepen its blue economy agenda and reduce the cost of doing maritime business in Nigerian waters.
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