Maersk will introduce a Heavy Load Surcharge (HWS) for heavy 40-foot containers moving from Far East Asia to selected Middle Eastern markets. The surcharge will take effect from a price calculation date of 5 October 2026. It will apply when the container’s Verified Gross Mass (VGM) exceeds 20 metric tonnes. Origin Destination Equipment VGM Surcharge Far East Asia UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar All 40-foot equipment More than 20 tonnes US$800 The surcharge will apply only to contract bookings. Countries and equipment covered The origin scope includes Brunei, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Cambodia, Mongolia, South Korea, Laos, Myanmar, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam. The measure covers the following 40-foot equipment: Dry High Cube Dry Bulk Collapsible Flat Rack Flat Rack Hive Pallet Wide Open Top Tank Twin Deck VGM includes the weight of the cargo, dunnage and securing materials, together with the container’s tare weight. For non-spot bookings outside FMC-regulated trades, the applicable price calculation date is the scheduled departure date of the first sea leg at the time of booking confirmation. For FMC-regulated shipments, it is the date on which the final container is gated in. The post Maersk introduces heavy load surcharge on Far East–Middle East trade appeared first on Container News .