Maersk Adjusts Heavy Weight Surcharge (HWS) for Asia-Europe Routes

August 5 Update: Maersk has revised its Heavy Weight Surcharge (HWS) policy for Far East-North Europe (E1W) and Far East-Mediterranean (E2W) routes, effective August 11, 2025.

Key Changes:

✔ New Threshold:

• 20' dry containers exceeding 28 tons (VGM = cargo + packaging + container tare weight) will now incur HWS of $400/TEU.

• Previously, the threshold varied by trade lane.

✔ Applicable Regions:

• Far East: Mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Brunei, Indonesia, Japan, Cambodia, Mongolia, South Korea, Laos, Myanmar, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam.

• Europe: All North European & Mediterranean ports.

Why the Adjustment?

• Safety & Operational Costs: Heavy containers strain equipment and increase handling risks.

• Compliance: Aligns with industry standards to manage overweight cargo risks.

What Shippers Must Do:

• Verify VGM accurately before booking.

• Consider 40' containers for heavy loads (typically no HWS under 28 tons).

• Factor in the $400/TEU surcharge for cost calculations.