CMA CGM has moved to blunt the commercial pain of persistent delays at the Port Autonome de Conakry by introducing a Port Congestion Surcharge (PCS) for all cargo bound for Conakry from every origin. The levy — USD 1,000 / EUR 850 / GBP 750 per TEU, payable with freight — takes effect on shipments with a loading date of 7 October 2025 (25 October for cargo ex-USA, US territories and Latin America). The port capital of Guinea in West Africa has a long standing issue with handling delays.
The French carrier CMA CGM’s advisory follows similar moves by other lines over the summer as container dwell times and vessel waiting times have risen in Conakry. Maersk has published a Congestion Fee Destination (CFD) for Conakry (with tiered levels that, for some container types, reach levels in the four-figure range). MSC and others have also applied congestion-related surcharges for Guinea trades. Those earlier measures suggest that carriers see ongoing operational strain at Conakry that is adding cost and schedule risk.
French carrier not alone
Port users report a mix of factors behind the pressure. Heavy seasonal rainfall that affects landside access and handling is perhaps the most predictable. Operationally, risks include high inbound volume; vessel bunching; limited terminal yard capacity; equipment availability and unpredictable ship schedule reliability. The result is longer anchorage times, more container moves, and longer terminal dwell times.
CMA CGM’s PCS is compatible with other levies. Maersk, for example, levies CFDs for Conakry that can be up to around USD 1,200 for some 40ft or special equipment categories. MSC and Hapag-Lloyd have published lower charges, ranging between USD 300 and USD 600. Hapag-Lloyd is calling their charge “peak season”, but their website lists no end date. The charges listed refer to the container terminal at the port.
Dealing with PCS
The port congestion surcharge, under different names, is a carrier-imposed, named levy intended to offset the additional cost and operational disruption of loading or discharging containers in a port that is operating under constrained conditions. Such measures can be temporary, until congestion eases, or extended if conditions persist. The latter appears to be the condition at Conakry.
Relative to typical destination surcharges seen on many trades, USD 1,000 per TEU is significant. For many importers that figure can amount to a large percentage of the original ocean freight on short, regional trades. It can be surmised that this level is designed too act as a meaningful disincentive to bring additional cargo into the stressed port. The CMA CGM PCS for Conakry is a blunt commercial instrument that reflects tangible operational strain at the port. At USD 1,000 per TEU it will materially affect import economics and sourcing decisions for goods bound for Guinea. Shippers should urgently review contracts, challenge or seek clarification where appropriate, explore alternative routings or timings, and use local logistics levers to reduce terminal dwell.