In brief
CMA CGM will add USD 35 per 20‑foot container and USD 70 per 40‑foot container to ships transiting key Black Sea ports. The surcharge applies immediately to destinations such as Constanta, Poti, Varna and Burgas, and will extend to shipments bound for the United States, Australia, New Zealand and Latin America from 1 December 2026. The move follows the area’s inclusion in the Joint War Committee’s list of war‑risk zones and recent drone attacks on merchant vessels.
In a decision that will affect cargo shipped through the Black Sea, French shipping line CMA CGM announced a new war‑risk surcharge on December 1, 2026. The fee will cost shipowners USD 35 for each 20‑foot container and USD 70 for each 40‑foot container transported to and from ports in the region.
The surcharge applies immediately to every CMA CGM vessel calling at Constanta, Poti, Varna and Burgas. For shipments headed to the United States, Australia, New Zealand and Latin America, the fee will also come into force from 1 December 2026, subject to regulatory requirements, the company said on its website.
According to BTA, the decision comes after the maritime area was listed on the Joint War Committee’s register of war‑risk zones on September 16. The listing reflects a broader deterioration in conditions in the Black Sea, including the increase in drone attacks on merchant ships.
BTA noted that merchant vessels have come under drone attack in Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone in the Black Sea on several occasions since October 6. The higher security environment prompted CMA CGM to impose the surcharge on all types of cargo.
Shippers operating through the Black Sea will need to account for the extra cost in their freight calculations. The fee will cover all containers, regardless of the cargo type, and will be levied on every vessel that passes through the affected ports, the carrier said.
While BTA reported the new fee, it did not mention how the surcharge will be calculated beyond the per‑container rates. The carrier confirmed that it will begin charging the premiums from the start of the month, without a delay, to cover the additional risk expenses.
Overall, the move highlights growing commercial responses to maritime security challenges in the area, as shipping companies seek to offset the risk of threats such as drone strikes and the impact of increased military activity in the Black Sea.
