CMA CGM introduces a $35 per TEU war risk surcharge for Black Sea shipments, effective November 9, 2026, due to rising security concerns.
CMA CGM will apply a $35 per TEU (twenty-foot equivalent unit) war risk surcharge to container shipments to and from Black Sea countries starting November 9, 2026. The surcharge covers all cargo categories. The company attributes the decision to deteriorating security conditions in the region and the rising cost of maintaining maritime operations there.
The surcharge applies to cargo carried on CMA CGM's own container services and to cargo moved by third-party feeder operators. Feeder operators run smaller vessels that link regional ports with larger mainline services. The surcharge specifically covers Ukrainian container traffic routed through two regional gateways: Constan?a, Romania, and Poti, Georgia.
CMA CGM has set a later implementation date for certain trade lanes. For shipments involving the following markets, the surcharge takes effect on December 1, 2026: the United States and its territories, Australia, New Zealand, and Latin American countries.
The company said the later date reflects the need to comply with regulatory procedures in these markets.
The surcharge follows rising war-related risks across the Black Sea. On September 16, the Joint War Committee (JWC), which represents marine war risk underwriters in the London insurance market, updated its list of high-risk areas to include almost the entire Black Sea.
The territorial waters of Turkey, Romania, Bulgaria, and Georgia remain excluded from the designation. The expanded high-risk area adds to cost pressures on shipping companies operating in the region.
CMA CGM stated that vessels transiting the Black Sea face additional costs. It described the surcharge as a measure to ensure the continuity of its container shipping services in the region.
The company said it will continue to monitor security conditions and may revise its transportation terms as the situation develops.
