Hapag-Lloyd has extended emergency bunker fuel surcharges to cover levies imposed by third-party feeder and barge operators as oil prices surge due to the Middle East war, reports New York's Journal of Commerce.

The carrier stated that the new surcharges, ranging from US$50 to $150 per TEU, will apply immediately on cargo to and from selected Caribbean and South American locations, before being rolled out globally. These surcharges will be charged both at origin and destination.

Chief Executive Rolf Habben Jansen mentioned last month that the war has raised operating costs by $40 million to $50 million per week. Hapag-Lloyd is the first carrier to announce such measures, while rivals including Maersk, MSC, and CMA CGM have yet to confirm similar surcharges.

The new charges are separate from Hapag-Lloyd's standard emergency fuel surcharge, covering explicit costs passed on by feeder operators. The carrier indicated that the surcharges will apply to trades not regulated by the US Federal Maritime Commission from April 21, and from May 21 for FMC-regulated trades, including Ecuador and Colombia.

Bunker fuel prices at major hubs doubled after the war began on February 28 and the Strait of Hormuz was closed. Tropical Shipping, which operates 17 feeder ships in Latin America, doubled bunker surcharges on April 12 to $200 for a TEU and $400 for an FEU.