Benelux, Poland, Italy, Slovenia, and DACH (Germany, Austria and Switzerland). These are the countries where Danish shipping giant Maersk is increasing fuel fees for intermodal container services in lieu of recent rise in energy prices due to the situation in the Strait of Hormuz.
The Intermodal Fuel Fee, as Maersk calls it, will impact Rail Combined Operations (RCO), trucking and, where applicable, barge and Barge Combined Operations (BCO). “Given the volatility of the current energy market”, the surcharge will be reviewed periodically to adjust them to the situation, the company highlighted. Moreover, not all fees are the same, but trucking and barge services all have a higher increase compared to rail.
How are they increasing?
In the three Benelux countries and the DACH countries, the fuel fee for trucks will rise by 7%, just like the one for barge and BCO, while the one for RCO by 4%. In both areas these increases will be valid between 30 March and 13 April. In Poland, for trucking services the rises will be +12% while for RCO 6% during the same period.
For Italy, 8% and 3% but they will be effective from 1 April and will be reviewed two weeks later. In Slovenia, Maersk will implement a 4% Intermodal Fuel Fee but only for trucks which will be applied for the whole month of April and will then be reviewed on a monthly basis.
‘Unprecedented cost environment’
The war on Iran and the consequent closure of the Strait of Hormuz has choked the passageway of 20% of the world’s fuel supply, causing prices to skyrocket. The situation is dire, and an end does seem to be in sight. Maersk defined it as an “unprecedented cost environment” that “continues to place significant pressure on logistics and intermodal transportation markets”.