Views: 0 Author: Site Editor Publish Time: 2026-03-26 Origin: Site
Affected by the continued deterioration of the situation in the Middle East, the global shipping market is experiencing a new round of violent shocks. Key routes that were originally operating stably were forced to reroute, freight rates soared to four times, costs soared, and some goods were even 'dumped' midway, triggering strong dissatisfaction among shippers, who accused them of 'disguised extortion . ' Industry insiders describe the current market as being in a 'Wild West' state that is almost out of order.。
01 The shipping company cited special terms and the container was forced to 'disembark midway'
Many leading liner companies, including Mediterranean Shipping Company, Maersk, CMA CGM and Hapag-Lloyd, have successively issued notices to customers: Under special circumstances, they will reserve the right to adjust transportation routes according to traditional maritime terms. This means -
The shipping company can unload the goods at the 'nearest feasible port' instead of the original destination
Subsequent transshipment, warehousing, customs duties and other expenses incurred will be borne by the cargo owner.
In actual operations, some containers originally destined for the Middle East were stranded at ports in India or the United Arab Emirates, and the transportation chain was interrupted.
02 Freight prices have skyrocketed: some routes have quadrupled
As risk costs and operational pressures continue to rise, the rapid surge in freight rates has become the most intuitive change in the market.
Take the UK to Jebel Ali Port in Dubai as an example:
Original freight price: about US$1,500/FEU
Current freight rate: nearly 6,000 US dollars/FEU
Increase nearly 4 times
In addition, it is necessary to superimpose:
war risk surcharge
fuel surcharge
Land transportation and port handling costs
Under the comprehensive cost, the total expenditure for a single cabinet often increases by thousands of dollars.
03 The shipper complained: Stopping the service without paying is similar to 'being forced to pay the bill'
This approach quickly caused dissatisfaction among shippers. John Mason International, a multinational logistics company, said that after its customers' goods are unloaded midway, they not only have to bear additional warehousing costs, but may also face new import tariffs. If you refuse to pay the relevant fees, the shipping company may even freeze the account and suspend services.
The company bluntly stated that this operation is 'almost tantamount to disguised extortion.'
At the same time, the management of Turkish home appliance giant Beko also publicly criticized that the current shipping market shows obvious oligarchic characteristics. When the supply chain is disrupted, shipping companies have strong pricing power and rule dominance.
04Costs are rising, and the impact on the cold chain and fresh food industries is particularly obvious
Industry organization Freshfel Europe pointed out that the export of fresh agricultural products is experiencing a serious impact:
Reefer containers cannot be transported normally into the Persian Gulf
Forced to switch to land transportation, customs clearance becomes more difficult
Documents need to be processed repeatedly, which increases both time and cost.
This impact is particularly fatal for the fresh food industry, which already has meager profits.
The cost chain is on the rise across the board: fuel, chartering, and surcharges are all rising
In addition to freight rates themselves, multiple cost items have risen simultaneously:
Fuel costs : Rising oil prices push up marine fuel spending
Surcharge : Ocean shipping routes charge an additional fee of about US$160-400 per container.
Charter prices : Due to deviations and tight shipping capacity, they have risen to the highest level since the epidemic
Market analysts believe that the combination of route detours, equipment shortages and safety risks is forming a new 'cost transmission chain'.
write at the end
The operating logic of the shipping market is undergoing a significant change, from being efficiency and cost-oriented in the past to gradually shifting to risk control as the core. Against the backdrop of increasing uncertainty, rules are clearly tilted towards shipping companies, with safety and risk taking priority over punctuality and price competition . In order to hedge potential risks, shipping companies continue to adjust routes, tighten performance responsibilities, and add various surcharges, which to a certain extent intensifies cost pressure and operational uncertainty on the cargo owner.
From soaring freight rates, to dumping containers midway, to layer-by-layer transfer of costs, the global shipping market is experiencing a round of deep imbalance. Until the situation in the Middle East becomes clear, this state of 'disorderly operation' may continue, and it is the cargo owners and end consumers in the supply chain who ultimately bear the costs and risks.
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