Maersk has announced the implementation of new fuel surcharges for both export and import inland freight, effective May 27, 2026. These surcharges, designated as Export Fuel Surcharge (EFS) and Import Fuel Surcharge (IFS), will add 5% to the base price across all inland transportation services. The carrier states that this measure is necessary due to the significant rise in global fuel prices, which it links to the current geopolitical situation in West Asia.
For freight forwarders and operations managers, this means an immediate increase in the total cost of inland legs for shipments handled by Maersk. The 5% surcharge on the base price will directly impact budgeting and quoting for clients. Forwarders should update their internal pricing models and communicate these additional costs to shippers to avoid discrepancies. This change could also influence decisions regarding multimodal routing, potentially making alternative inland transport options or carriers more competitive depending on their own fuel surcharge policies.
