Seatrade Maritime is part of the Informa Markets Division of Informa PLC

This site is operated by a business or businesses owned by Informa PLC and all copyright resides with them. Informa PLC's registered office is 5 Howick Place, London SW1P 1WG. Registered in England and Wales. Number 8860726.

Container lines cancel China ports reefer surcharges

Photo: SIPG SIPG yangshan
Container lines are cancelling surcharges for reefer containers destined for Chinese ports as the congestion caused by the coronavirus (COVID-19) impact eases.

CMA CGM said that reefer plug utilisation at Shanghai and Ningbo had improved and that reefer containers that were diverted to other ports would now be delivered to their final destination. A congestion surcharge for reefer shipments to Shanghai and Ningbo was being cancelled from 16 March.

Hapag-Lloyd also said that the congestion at Chinese ports had eased. “The reefer plug availability has also improved so that we currently do not have to divert cargoes on a large scale anymore,” the container line said.

The German line was also cancelled its reefer adjustment surcharge for cargoes destined for Chinese ports with immediate effect.

Container lines had introduced surcharges after the extended shutdown of businesses in China due to COVID-19 virus saw reefer containers piling up at major ports in the country, and lack of reefer plugs and staff to monitor them. Since late February the situation at Chinese ports has been normalising.