French shipping giant CMA CGM has announced a new peak season surcharge (PSS) on cargo bound for Nigerian and other West African ports, intensifying concerns among shippers and importers already grappling with high freight costs and logistical challenges in the region.
The surcharge, which takes effect from 15 September 2025 and will remain in place until further notice, applies to both dry and reefer cargo shipped from North East Asia, South East Asia, China, and Hong Kong & Macau SAR.
CMA CGM said the levy would be fixed at US$500 per twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU) and will apply specifically to short-term contracts.
This latest move comes against the backdrop of recurring surcharges imposed by the carrier on West African trade routes in recent years.
Industry observers note that such surcharges have become a regular feature of shipping into West Africa. Nigerian importers and freight forwarders have often criticised these charges as punitive and destabilising for trade, arguing that they are transferred directly onto consumers in the form of higher prices for goods.
With Nigeria and other West African economies heavily reliant on imports, analysts warn that the latest surcharge could further exacerbate inflationary pressures, particularly at a time when businesses are already contending with volatile exchange rates and high logistics costs.
The development also comes amid wider global shipping disruptions, including equipment shortages and capacity constraints on Asia–Africa trade lanes, which have forced carriers to tighten contract conditions and introduce new levies to recover costs.
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