CMA CGM, the French shipping group, has raised its peak season surcharge on cargo shipped from China to Nigeria to $700 per twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU), effective November 1, 2026, doubling the previously announced rate for the West Africa Central Range.
The new charge, announced on October 27, applies to dry and refrigerated containers moving under short-term contracts from China and its Special Administrative Regions to Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire, Benin, Equatorial Guinea and Togo. Ghana is excluded from the revision, with its existing surcharge unchanged.
Under the revised tariff, shipments to the West Africa Central Range will attract $700 per TEU, while cargo destined for Angola, Congo, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Namibia, Gabon and Cameroon will incur a $900 surcharge per TEU.
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Senegal-bound cargo will attract $400 per TEU, while surcharges for other countries in the West Africa North Range will remain unchanged.
The charges will apply to shipments loaded from November 1, according to the shipping line’s notice. CMA CGM said the applicable surcharge for shipments originating in China would be filed with the Shanghai Shipping Exchange and/or incorporated into ocean freight rates.
The latest adjustment comes after the shipping company announced a $350-per-TEU surcharge for shipments to Nigeria and other Central Range destinations, effective October 22.
An earlier notice issued on September 30 had set a $200-per-TEU surcharge for shipments originating in central and southern China to the same range, effective October 15.
The new $700 rate is twice the $350 charge announced in October. However, the notices specify different effective dates and origin conditions, making it necessary for importers to confirm the applicable tariff for individual shipments.
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The development could increase the landed cost of goods imported from China, depending on freight contracts and the extent to which importers absorb or pass on the additional charges.
Nigeria relies on imported machinery, industrial inputs, electronics, textiles and other merchandise, making shipping costs an important component of importers’ operating expenses.
The surcharge is separate from basic ocean freight and may be accompanied by bunker-related charges, terminal handling fees at origin and destination, safety and security charges, contingency fees and local charges.
CMA CGM said customers could consult its online price finder for basic freight rates and its tariff charge finder for additional applicable fees.
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