GENEVA's Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) has imposed US$180 congestion surcharge from September 1 on shipments from Europe to Algiers because of a two-month strike at the DP World terminal.

This has resulted in ships taking up to one month to be unloaded, reports the American Shipper. "Even if the situation seems to be now solved, it will (take) quite a time to absorb the backlog of ships," MSC said.

In a separate development, MSC is introducing a $250 per TEU peak season surcharge on shipments from Asia to New Zealand, beginning September 15. The fee is applicable from all Asian ports to all ports in New Zealand.

Furthermore, MSC said it will assess a bunker surcharge on shipments from northern Europe and the Mediterranean to the west coast of South America and Central America, starting October 1.

The bunker fees will be $410 per TEU and $485 per reefer TEU from northern Europe and the Mediterranean to the west coast of South America; $430 per TEU and $500 per reefer TEU from northern Europe and the Mediterranean to Central America and Venezuela; $620 per TEU and $720 per reefer TEU from the west coast of South America to northern Europe and the Mediterranean and $490 per TEU and $560 per reefer TEU from Central America and Venezuela to northern Europe and the Mediterranean.
(Source:www.schednet.com)