Maersk Adjusts Heavy Weight Surcharge (HWS) for Asia-Europe Routes
Publish Time: 2025-08-07 Origin: Site
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.