MSC has announced the “end of voyage” status for all shipments headed to Arabian Gulf ports that are currently on its vessels. This decision comes amid ongoing tensions in the Middle East, prompting the shipping company to advise customers that all cargo under its care, whether at sea or on land, will be redirected. Containers en route to these ports will be discharged at the nearest safe port for local delivery.
To cover the associated costs of this deviation, MSC is imposing a surcharge of $800 per container on affected shipments. Additionally, the company is invoking Clause 13 of its Sea Waybill/Bill of Lading Terms, which stipulates that all expenses related to the discharge—including handling and storage—will be the responsibility of the cargo owners.
For customers wishing to reroute their cargo to different ports, new bookings must be made with MSC’s agencies. The company currently has 15 container ships stranded at regional ports, totaling a capacity of 109,000 TEU.
In response, Maersk, MSC’s main competitor, is evaluating operational contingency plans. They are assessing how to manage cargo routing and leverage their hub operations in Salalah, which remains unaffected. Maersk has also implemented an emergency surcharge on cargo already at sea, with rates varying based on container type.
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