Shipping Weekly – 29 Oct 2026 | Yang Ming and Evergreen Head for Suez, South Africa PSS Names Japan

In the week of 22–29 October 2026, the last carriers still routing around the Cape began moving back to Suez. According to Taiwanese press reports, Yang Ming will return its Asia–Mediterranean MD1 service to two-way Suez routing from 10 November and MS2 from 16 November, while Evergreen will trial a single one-way Suez transit (Europe to Asia) on its CES service departing 4 November, its first in about three years. On surcharges, Hapag-Lloyd announced a PSS of USD 500/TEU from Asia and Oceania, explicitly including Japan, to South Africa (cargo loaded from 3 November), and CMA CGM introduced a port congestion surcharge for Tema (USD 200/TEU from the Far East, from 1 November). The Drewry WCI rose for a third straight week, but by less, and carriers are adding Asia–Europe blank sailings to hold rates up. In the Strait of Hormuz, October became the worst month since the conflict began, and Brent crude touched USD 116 on 24 October.

Key points this week

• Yang Ming and Evergreen move toward Suez. Yang Ming is reported to return MD1 to Suez routing from 10 November and MS2 from 16 November (Commercial Times, 27 Oct), cutting 10–14 days of transit. Evergreen will trial one eastbound Suez transit on CES departing 4 November (same paper, 19 Oct). Neither carrier has issued an official notice we could confirm. If both go ahead, ZIM would be the only top-10 carrier not back in the Red Sea.
• A South Africa PSS that names Japan. On 27 October Hapag-Lloyd announced a USD 500/TEU PSS from China, South Korea, Japan, Southeast Asia and Oceania to Durban and Cape Town, for cargo loaded from 3 November, all container types, until further notice.
• West Africa congestion surcharges from 1 November. CMA CGM will charge port congestion surcharges for Tema (USD 200/TEU dry from the Far East), Freetown (USD 700/TEU from the Far East, India and the Middle East Gulf) and Monrovia (USD 300 dry from the Far East). Tema waiting time worsened to 7.56 days this week.
• Asia–Europe rates up for a third week, but slowing. The Drewry WCI (22 Oct) was USD 4,585 (+2%), with Shanghai–Rotterdam at USD 3,632 (+3%). Drewry expects Asia–Europe blank sailings to rise from 2 to 8 next week.

Container rates and market

The Drewry WCI is published on Thursdays (UK time). At the time of writing the 29 October index had not been released, so the 22 October figures are shown. The Asia–Europe rebound continued into a third week, but Shanghai–Rotterdam at USD 3,632 is still well below carriers’ FAK targets. Xeneta (23 Oct) showed a stronger +6.8% on Far East–North Europe, and European demand has held up, with January–July volumes up 12.2% year on year. At the same time Drewry expects Asia–Europe blank sailings to rise from 2 to 8 next week: carriers are cutting capacity to support rates. With Yang Ming and Evergreen returning to Suez, more capacity is coming back, so the most likely path to year-end is rates that resist falling but struggle to rise further. Shippers should be cautious about locking long-term contracts at current levels (How ocean freight costs break down).

At the ports, Tema worsened for a second week to 7.56 days (high yard utilisation, reefer congestion, trucking shortages). With CMA CGM’s congestion surcharge starting on 1 November, Tema shipments should be compared on an all-in basis: freight, PSS and congestion surcharge together (Japan to Tema). Durban was broadly flat at 7.29 days, but anchorage waits at DGT average 10.5 days, and Port Louis is seeing eastbound port omissions through week 48 because of the Durban delays. Cargo moving to East Africa and the Indian Ocean via Durban transshipment needs extra allowance for transit time and for free time at destination (Japan to Durban, Demurrage and detention basics). Mombasa is steady at 3.0 days, though Hapag-Lloyd has warned that heavy rain from October to December could affect cargo operations in Kenya (Japan to Mombasa).

New charges to South and West Africa: three things shippers should watch

• The South Africa PSS explicitly covers Japan. Africa PSS notices have used different origin wording (“China”, “Far East”) from one notice to the next. Hapag-Lloyd’s USD 500/TEU (from 3 November) names Japan directly. Together with CMA CGM’s Far East–Durban PSS of USD 750/TEU (effective 22 October), shippers should assume that several carriers will apply a PSS to Durban cargo from November.
• The loading date changes the total. All-in costs change around 1 November (CMA CGM congestion surcharge) and 3 November (Hapag-Lloyd PSS), so confirm the actual loading date for shipments in late October and early November.
• The same port can carry different charges by origin. For Durban, CMA CGM has published a “Far East” PSS of USD 750 alongside a “China” PSS of USD 1,050–1,150 (through end-October). State the origin clearly and confirm against the carrier’s official tariff.

Carrier by carrier

Red Sea and Hormuz: the working assumptions

On the Red Sea (Bab el-Mandeb) side, no new attack on a merchant ship has been confirmed for four weeks, since the Chrystal Sky incident on 4 October. The JMIC advisory (data to 23 October) recorded no confirmed incidents, and the threat level remains “SUBSTANTIAL”. On 21 October the Suez Canal Authority asked Hapag-Lloyd to bring all its services back, and the canal continues to court carriers.

In the Strait of Hormuz, October was the worst month since the conflict began. The Washington Institute counts 28 attacks on merchant ships in October and 113 since 28 February. IMF PortWatch recorded only four transits on 18 October (against about 85 a day before the crisis), and Drewry reports that only two container ships entered the Gulf in week 42. Brent crude closed at USD 116.72 on 24 October and USD 114.11 on 28 October, and there are reports of possible military action after the US midterm elections on 3 November. Even on routes that avoid Hormuz, higher oil prices feed through to bunker surcharges, so shippers should watch for fuel surcharge revisions into December and confirm war-risk insurance terms.

Practical points for shippers and forwarders

• South Africa: Hapag-Lloyd’s USD 500/TEU PSS applies from 3 November, including cargo from Japan. Compare all-in costs by carrier alongside CMA CGM’s Far East–Durban PSS of USD 750/TEU.
• Tema: a congestion surcharge applies from 1 November. CMA CGM charges USD 200/TEU dry from the Far East, and Tema waiting time has worsened to 7.56 days, so allow extra time.
• East Africa and Indian Ocean via Durban: allow extra transit time. DGT anchorage waits average 10.5 days and Port Louis is seeing eastbound omissions.
• Asia–Mediterranean transit times may shorten from mid-November. If Yang Ming’s MD1 (10 Nov) and MS2 (16 Nov) return to Suez, the basis for comparing Mediterranean routings changes.
• Do not assume the rate rise will last. The rebound is slowing, carriers are using blank sailings to support rates, and the Suez return is bringing more capacity back.
• Check bunker surcharges and insurance. Brent is at USD 114–117. For shipments around the US midterms, confirm war-risk coverage.

What to watch next

• 29 OctNext Drewry WCI release (not yet published at the time of writing). COSCO Q3 results (possibly 30 Oct).
• 31 OctEnd of validity for MSC’s Far East–Sub-Saharan Africa rates (from 15 Oct).
• 1 NovCMA CGM port congestion surcharges for Tema, Freetown and Monrovia take effect.
• 3 NovHapag-Lloyd Asia/Oceania–South Africa PSS of USD 500/TEU takes effect. US midterm elections.
• 4 NovEvergreen CES trial eastbound Suez transit (press report).
• 5 NovMaersk Q3 results.
• 9 NovPremier Alliance FE1 (ONE Continuity) first westbound Suez transit.
• 10 NovYang Ming MD1 returns to Suez (press report).
• 12 NovHapag-Lloyd Q3 results.
• 16 NovYang Ming MS2 returns to Suez (press report).
• 22 NovFirst Gemini SE5 sailing (Maersk Edirne, from Shanghai).
• Mid-DecMaersk’s new West Africa network (WAF1, WAF5, WAF3, WAF6) starts.
• OngoingPort congestion in West and South Africa (How to read ETD, ETA and cut-off); Hormuz and oil prices.

Sources

1. Drewry — World Container Index
2. Xeneta — Weekly ocean container shipping market update (23 Oct)
3. Kuehne+Nagel — Port operational updates (21–27 Oct)
4. MSC — PA Trade from Far East to NWC, Mediterranean and Black Sea
5. MSC — PA Trade from Far East to Sub Saharan Africa and Indian Ocean
6. Container News — CMA CGM announces new congestion charges for Tema, Freetown and Monrovia
7. Container News — CMA CGM updates surcharges for China, South America and Morocco shipments
8. Container News — COSCO Shipping Holdings profit falls 34% in first half of 2026
9. Container News — Hapag-Lloyd updates PSS from Asia and Oceania to South Africa
10. Ahram Online — Suez Canal Authority meets Hapag-Lloyd
11. Container News — Hapag-Lloyd flags rainfall risks to Kenya cargo flows
12. Maritime Executive — Hapag-Lloyd and FIMI submit framework of revised structure for ZIM
13. The Loadstar — Premier Alliance prepares for Asia-N Europe services return to Suez
14. Commercial Times (Taiwan) — Evergreen to return to the Red Sea in November
15. Commercial Times (Taiwan) — Yang Ming MD1 and MS2 return to the Red Sea
16. Logupdate Africa — HMM expands Africa network with GIA service
17. United Daily News — Wan Hai September revenue
18. Al-Monitor — Ship attacks in Strait of Hormuz hit record high in October
19. Seatrade Maritime — Fire on KOTC vessel struck off Oman, tanker hit near Iraq
20. Trading Economics — Brent crude oil

This article was compiled by the OCEAN FREIGHT JAPAN editorial team from carrier announcements and press reports (coverage period: 22–29 October 2026). Drewry WCI figures are from the 22 October release, the latest available at the time of writing; port waiting times are from the Kuehne+Nagel update for 21–27 October. The Suez returns of Yang Ming and Evergreen are based on Taiwanese press reports, not official carrier announcements. Rate and surcharge levels and conditions may change after announcement and may differ in practice depending on origin, cargo and contract terms. Always confirm applicability against each carrier’s official tariff and quotation.