Peak Season Surcharge (PSS) Announcement From Carriers
Recently, several major global ocean carriers have announced adjustments or new implementations of Peak Season Surcharge (PSS) to address rising transportation demand, port congestion, and increased operational costs. Below is a summary of the latest updates:
| Peak Season Surcharge (PSS) | ||||||||||
| Carriers | Effective date | WC | EC | Remarks | ||||||
| 20'DC | 40'DC | 40'HQ | 45'HQ | 20'DC | 40'DC | 40'HQ | 45'HQ | |||
| WHL | 2025-05-22 | 1,000 | 2,000 | 2,000 | 2,000 | 1,000 | 2,000 | 2,000 | 2,000 | For Non-China areas |
| 400 | 500 | 500 | 630 | 400 | 500 | 500 | 630 | For China, Hong Kong, Macau | ||
| YML | 2025-06-01 | 1,350 | 1,500 | 1,500 | 1,500 | 1,350 | 1,500 | 1,500 | 1,500 | |
| ONE | 2025-06-01 | 1,800 | 2,000 | 2,000 | 2,530 | 1,800 | 2,000 | 2,000 | 2,530 | |
| HPL | 2025-06-01 | 1,000 | 2,000 | 2,000 | 2,000 | 1,000 | 2,000 | 2,000 | 2,000 | |
| MSC | 2025-06-01 | 1,600 | 2,000 | 2,000 | 2,532 | 1,600 | 2,000 | 2,000 | 2,532 | |
| MSK | 2025-06-01 | 1,000 | 2,000 | 2,000 | 2,000 | 1,000 | 2,000 | 2,000 | 2,000 | For Non-China areas |
| 2025-06-09 | 1,000 | 2,000 | 2,000 | 2,000 | 1,000 | 2,000 | 2,000 | 2,000 | For China, Hong Kong, Macau | |
The above are the summary up to May 7th, 2024; the actual amount and effective date will be per each carrier’s official notice.
Background and Recommendations Regarding Peak Season Surcharge (PSS)
Peak Season Surcharge (PSS) is an additional fee imposed by ocean carriers during periods of high shipping demand to offset increased operational costs caused by capacity constraints, rising fuel prices, port congestion, and related factors. These surcharges typically occur during peak shipping seasons, such as from June to October each year and around the Lunar New Year period.
Recommendations:
Plan shipments in advance: Avoid the announced PSS effective dates to minimize transportation costs.
Stay in close contact with your freight forwarder: Monitor the latest rate updates and surcharge changes across different trade lanes.
Consider alternative routes or modes of transport: When possible, opt for routes or transportation methods not affected by PSS, such as rail or air freight.
For further assistance or to inquire about the latest rates on specific trade lanes, please feel free to reach out to us. USPTI is here to support you.