FMC Receives One New Formal Complaint

The U.S. Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) received one new formal complaint in August 2026 alleging violations of the U.S. Shipping Act and FMC regulations.

Unreasonable D & D Practices – FMC Docket No. 26-12:  Samsung Electronics America, Inc. filed a formal complaint against CMA CGM S.A. alleging various violations of the U.S. Shipping Act.

Specifically, Samsung alleges that starting in 2020 CMA regularly failed to perform its obligations for inland transportation. These failures resulted in excessive demurrage and detention charges which CMA billed to Samsung even though CMA was responsible for the inland delivery. Samsung further alleges that CMA engaged in punitive actions when Samsung disputed charges. These actions included cargo holds of containers unrelated to those in dispute and sudden unilateral termination of inland service.

As a result of CMA’s actions, Samsung alleges they were forced to pay excessive and unlawful charges. Samsung seeks reparations totaling at least $186 million. This includes $148 million in detention, demurrage, and related charges, $8.1 million in additional inland transportation charges, and $30 million in prejudgement interest. Samsung alleges CMA’s actions also resulted in lost revenue in an amount to be calculated.

Samsung requests the Commission to order CMA to pay reparations for their unlawful conduct, pay any other amounts the FMC deems appropriate, cease and desist from the unlawful conduct, and to provide any other relief the Commission deems proper.

For more details visit the FMC’s online reading room. The FMC’s reading room provides access to FMC dockets, related documents, notices, and orders.

Transpacific Westbound Carriers Update Fuel Surcharges Effective October 1, 2026

Several carriers serving the USA/East Asia trade lanes (U.S. Exports) have adjusted their fuel surcharges for the October to December 2026 quarter. Here is a table of carriers that have posted BAF amounts:

TRANSPACIFIC WESTBOUND (USA to Asia)
BUNKER ADJUSTMENT FACTOR (BAF), October – December 2026, in USD, per 40ft ctr, except as noted below
Carrier	Dry Cargo		Reefer Cargo
	From US Atlantic/Gulf Coast Ports	From US Pacific Coast Ports	From US Atlantic/Gulf Coast Ports	From US Pacific Coast Ports
CMA CGM (see notes 1, 8)	114	58	164	108
COSCO (see note 2)	283	181	425	272
Evergreen (see note 8)	115	101	610	387
HMM (see note 3)	356	551	3102	1890
ONE (see notes 4, 8)	480	326	882	518
OOCL (see notes 5, 9)	158	144	190	216
Yang Ming (see notes 6, 8)	440	264	1096	598
ZIM (see note 7)	124	93	186	139

NOTE 1:  CMA CGM calls the above Bunker surcharge the Bunker Adjustment Factor Surcharge (BAF-03), tariff Rule No. 010.4. Low Sulphur Surcharge IMO2020 (LSS20) is not applicable at this time.

NOTE 2: COSCO calls the above surcharge the Bunker Surcharge (BUC), tariff Rule No. 010-001.

NOTE 3:  HMM calls the above charge the Bunker Surcharge (BUC) Rule No. 10-02A.

HMM also filed in its FMC tariff Rule 2-79, Emergency Fuel Charge (EFL), effective since July 1, 2026. The EFL amounts are USD 105/210/210 per 20/40/40HC dry container, and USD 137/273/273 per 20/40/40HC/45ft reefer container, respectively, for destination US Pacific Coast Ports; and USD 170/340/340 per 20/40/40HC dry container, and USD 221/442/442 per 20/40/40HC reefer container, respectively, for destination US Atlantic Ports/US Gulf Coast Ports/RIPI/IPI.

HMM also filed in its FMC tariff Rule 10-02F, Environmental Compliance Charge (ECC), effective October 1, 2026. The ECC amounts are USD 125/250/250/250 per 20/40/40HC/45ft, respectively, for dry cargo moving via West Coast; and USD 77/153/153/153 per 20/40/40HC/45ft, respectively, for dry cargo moving via East Coast, Gulf.

NOTE 4:  ONE calls the above surcharge the ONE Bunker Surcharge (OBS). Any reference to Bunker Adjustment Factor (BAF) or Fuel Adjustment Factor (FAF) within a duly filed service contract shall be construed as referencing the same surcharge as ONE Bunker Surcharge (OBS) as detailed within Tariff Rule No. 102.001, whether as an exception or as a reference to this charge.

NOTE 5:  OOCL calls the surcharge the Fuel Cost Recovery Charge (T-62). The Fuel Cost Recovery Charge will not apply to shipments when Bunker Surcharge and/or Low Sulphur Fuel Surcharge and/or Low Sulphur Adjustment Charge are already applied or included in the base rate.

NOTE 6:  Yang Ming calls the above surcharge the New Bunker Charge, Tariff Rule No. 10-AH.

NOTE 7:  ZIM calls the above surcharge the New Bunker Factor – Far East (NBF), Tariff Rule No. 010-NB.

NOTE 8:  Subject to Low Sulphur Fuel Charge (LSF or LSS).

NOTE 9:  Updated on a monthly basis.

Each carrier maintains its own tariffs and controls its own pricing.

Transpacific Eastbound Carriers Adjust Fuel Surcharges Effective October 1, 2026

Several carriers serving the East Asia/USA trade lanes (U.S. Imports) have adjusted fuel surcharges effective October 1 through December 31, 2026. Details are as follows.

TRANSPACIFIC EASTBOUND (Asia to USA)
BUNKER ADJUSTMENT FACTOR (BAF), October – December 2026, in USD, per 40ft ctr, except as noted below
Carrier	To US Atlantic/Gulf Coast Ports		To US Pacific Coast Ports		To IPI/MLB via US Pacific Coast
	Dry	Reefer	Dry	Reefer	Dry	Reefer
CMA CGM (see notes 1, 7)	1303	1563	744	892	744	892
COSCO (see note 2)	1456	2457	810	1367	810	1367
Evergreen (see note 7)	915	1308	488	756	488	756
HMM (see notes 3, 8)	1542		855		1414
ONE (see notes 4, 7)	840	1238	564	752	1472	1660
OOCL (see notes 5, 8)	1539	2597	784	1323	1325	2236
Yang Ming (see note 7)	1096	1578	598	862	598	862
ZIM (see notes 6, 7, 8)	1238	1857	929	1394	929	1394

NOTE 1:  CMA CGM calls the above surcharge the Bunker Adjustment Factor Surcharge (BAF03), Tariff Rule No. 010.08. Low Sulphur Surcharge IMO2020 (LSS20) is not applicable at this time.

NOTE 2:  COSCO calls the above surcharge the Bunker Charge (BUC), Tariff Rule No. 010-003.

NOTE 3: HMM calls the above charge the Bunker Charge, tariff Rule 2-63.

HMM also filed in its FMC Tariff Rule No. 2-89, Emergency Fuel Charge (EFL), effective October 1, 2026. The EFL amounts are USD 140/280/280/280 per 20/40/40HC/45ft dry container, and USD182/364/364/364 per 20/40/40HC/45ft reefer container, respectively, for destination USWC/USWC Local; and USD 270/540/540/540 per 20/40/40HC/45ft dry container, and USD 351/702/702/702 per 20/40/40HC/45ft reefer container, respectively, for destination USEC (all water)/USGC/RIPI; and USD 260/520/520/520 per 20/40/40HC/45ft dry container, and USD 338/676/676/676 per 20/40/40HC/45ft reefer container, respectively, for destination IPI/MLB.

HMM also filed in its FMC Tariff Rule No. 2-95, Environmental Compliance Charge (ECC), effective October 1, 2026. The ECC amounts are USD 421/467/526/592 per 20/40/40HC/45ft, respectively, for destination USWC/USWC Local/IPI/MLB; and USD 721/801/901/1014 per 20/40/40HC/45ft, respectively, for destination USEC (all water)/USGC/RIPI.

NOTE 4:  ONE calls the above surcharge the ONE Bunker Surcharge (OBS). Any reference to Bunker Adjustment Factor (BAF) or Fuel Adjustment Factor (FAF) within a duly filed service contract shall be construed as referencing the same surcharge as ONE Bunker Surcharge (OBS) as detailed within Tariff Rule No. 102.001, whether as an exception or as a reference to this charge.

NOTE 5:  OOCL calls the above surcharge the Fuel Cost Recovery Charge (T-62). The Fuel Cost Recovery Charge will not apply to shipments when Bunker Surcharge and/or Low Sulphur Fuel Surcharge and/or Low Sulphur Adjustment Charge are already applied or included in the base rate.

NOTE 6:  ZIM calls the above surcharge the New Bunker Factor – Far East (NBF), Tariff Rule No. 010-NB. Service contract cargoes subject to Zim’s published BAF and/or EBS shall not be subject to NBF.

NOTE 7:  Subject to Low Sulphur Fuel Charge (LSF or LSS).

NOTE 8:  Updated on a monthly basis.

Each carrier maintains its own tariffs and controls its own pricing.

Transpacific Eastbound Carriers File GRIs Effective September 15, 2026, and October 1, 2026

Several leading carriers serving the Transpacific container trades have recently updated their respective tariffs to include new General Rate Increases (GRIs) effective September 15, 2026, including CMA CGM, COSCO, Evergreen, Hapag Lloyd, HMM Company Limited, Yang Ming, and ZIM. See table below for GRI amounts per 40ft container; GRI amounts for all other container sizes are as per formula. The September 15th GRIs will be the eighteenth GRI of 2026 for the East Asia/USA trade lane. 

TRANSPACIFIC EASTBOUND (Asia to USA)
GENERAL RATE INCREASE (GRI) Effective September 15, 2026
Carrier	in USD, per 40ft ctr
CMA CGM	2000
COSCO (note 1)	2000
Evergreen (note 2)	3000
Hapag Lloyd	3000
HMM	3000
Yang Ming	2000
ZIM	2000

NOTE 1:  COSCO GRIs apply on all cargo moving under service contracts only.   

NOTE 2:  Evergreen GRIs will be USD 3000 per 40ft container for dry cargo, and USD 3000 per reefer container. GRI amounts for all other container sizes are as per formula. 

Some carriers also updated their tariffs to include new General Rate Increases (GRIs) effective October 1, 2026, including CMA CGM, COSCO, Evergreen, Hapag Lloyd, HMM Company Limited, Yang Ming, and ZIM. See table below for GRI amounts per 40ft container; GRI amounts for all other container sizes are as per formula. The October 1st GRIs will be the nineteenth GRI of 2026 for the East Asia/USA trade lane. 

TRANSPACIFIC EASTBOUND (Asia to USA)
GENERAL RATE INCREASE (GRI) Effective October 1, 2026
Carrier	in USD, per 40ft ctr
CMA CGM	2000
COSCO (note 1)	3000
Evergreen (note 2)	3000
Hapag Lloyd	3000
HMM	3000
Yang Ming	2000
Zim	2000

NOTE 1:  COSCO GRIs apply on all cargo moving under service contracts only.   

NOTE 2:  Evergreen GRIs will be USD 3000 per 40ft container for dry cargo, and USD 3000 per reefer container. GRI amounts for all other container sizes are as per formula. 

Each carrier maintains its own tariffs and controls its own pricing.