Summary
The June 11 freight brief is built mainly on June 10 public updates, with Middle East routing uncertainty, higher Asia-Europe and Indian Subcontinent-Europe charges, regional network reshaping and high-value airfreight requirements as the main themes. Maersk updated its Middle East operational arrangements, continued selected booking restrictions, and published PSS and ECS changes affecting Far East-Europe and Indian Subcontinent-Europe flows. The Loadstar reported that MSC has passed 20% global liner market share, HMM is rebuilding intra-Asia feeder capacity, and pharma airfreight needs stronger visibility, temperature control and contingency planning. The Maritime Executive reported that some ships are leaving the Gulf through different Hormuz routes while a cargo ship off Yemen faced an armed small-boat approach, keeping security, insurance and sanctions checks central to booking decisions.
Key Updates
Select a headline to expand the full update.
Maersk issued Middle East Operational Update 35 on June 10, saying regional conditions remain highly volatile and that differentiated cargo acceptance and workaround arrangements continue to apply. The advisory lists booking suspensions or restrictions for selected ports, countries and cargo types linked to the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq and Saudi Arabia, while continuing landbridge or domestic solutions via nodes such as Salalah, Khor Fakkan, Aqaba and Jeddah. For cargo moving from China to the Gulf, transshipping in the region or using the Gulf as a distribution point, shippers should confirm cargo type, port of discharge, transshipment port, final delivery location and any direct-delivery or pre-approval requirements before booking.
Source: Middle East Operational Update 35The same Maersk advisory says a Strait of Hormuz Emergency Freight rate will apply to cargo loading from or destined to selected ports in Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, the UAE and Oman, except Salalah, to support alternative routing, temporary storage and additional transport resources. The notice lists different charges for 20-foot dry, 40-foot dry and reefer/special/DG containers, and offers customers options to complete the planned voyage, return cargo to origin or change the destination. Storage can also accrue after the included temporary period. Cargo owners should treat these items as live risk costs rather than simply waiting for schedules to normalize.
Source: Middle East Operational Update 35Maersk announced on June 10 a Peak Season Surcharge for Far East Asia to North Europe and Mediterranean cargo. For Far East Asia origins excluding South Korea, the effective price calculation date is July 1, 2026; for South Korea origins, it is July 10. The advisory lists USD 500 for 20-foot containers and USD 1,000 for 40-foot and 45-foot containers to North Europe and Mediterranean destinations, with Syria priced in euros. Europe-bound July shipments should be rechecked by PCD, origin, destination scope and equipment type, and the PSS should be assessed alongside local, contingency and other applicable surcharges.
Source: Implementation of Peak Season Surcharge (PSS) from Far East Asia to North Europe and Mediterranean (E1W/E2W)Maersk notified customers on June 10 that Emergency Contingency Surcharges for Indian Subcontinent to North Europe and Mediterranean trades will change from the June 24, 2026 price calculation date. The advisory lists changes by origin scope, including North West India/Pakistan, South and East India, Nepal, Sri Lanka/Maldives and Bangladesh, with separate levels for North Europe and Mediterranean and different equipment types. For South Asia sourcing into Europe, late-June cost structures can change quickly, so purchase contracts, FOB/CFR/CIF quotes and invoice surcharge clauses should be updated together.
Source: Change to Emergency Contingency Surcharge Indian Subcontinent to North Europe & Mediterranean (E3W & E4W)The Loadstar reported on June 10, citing Alphaliner, that MSC has become the first container line to exceed 20% global liner market share, reaching 21.5% of operated capacity by the end of May. The report also says the top ten container lines received nearly 500,000 TEU of newbuilding tonnage between December and April, bringing their combined operated capacity share to 84.7%, close to the January 2021 record. For shippers, higher concentration can mean stronger networks and more ability to add loaders, but it can also make surcharges, service changes and slot release more dependent on a smaller group of large carriers.
Source: MSC becomes first carrier to break 20% global market share barrierThe Loadstar reported on June 10 that HMM wants to rebuild its intra-Asia shipping business and is expanding its feeder fleet to pursue volumes. The report says HMM has 22 feeder vessels on order, including 2,800 TEU, 3,000 TEU and 1,800 TEU ships for delivery through 2029, and has also purchased two 1,956 TEU newbuild resales for delivery this year and next. As manufacturing diversifies from China into Southeast Asia, regional feeder and hub-and-spoke networks become more important. Exporters using Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia or other regional gateways should monitor feeder reliability, transshipment time and intra-Asia rate swings.
Source: HMM eyes hub-and spoke model as it expands feeder fleetThe Loadstar reported on June 10 that air cargo may not yet be ready for the next wave of highly time- and temperature-sensitive pharmaceutical products. The report notes DSV's expansion of Air ThermoDirect with a dedicated Luxembourg-Indianapolis pharma corridor, and cites Pharma.Aero concerns that cell and gene therapies and radioligands need faster transport, visibility, traceability, customs alignment and multiple contingency plans. For high-value medicines, diagnostics and temperature-controlled samples, airfreight planning should evaluate ground handling, temperature-exposure points, customs coordination and rerouting options, not only flight availability and price.
Source: Airfreight must prepare for a new wave of pharma - 'current processes won't work'The Maritime Executive reported on June 10 that the Strait of Hormuz has not returned to normal traffic, but some ships have left the Gulf using either the Larak Island route or the Oman Coastal route, while U.S. statements said many commercial ships had safely transited. The outlet also reported the same day that an unnamed cargo ship about 88 nautical miles from Balhaf, Yemen, was approached by a small boat with armed individuals before the ship's security team exchanged fire and the boat turned away. For cargo routed through the Middle East, Red Sea, Gulf of Aden and Gulf of Oman, the current risk set includes not only transit time but also insurance, naval communication, carrier acceptance, sanctions-payment exposure and delivery certainty.
Source: Trump Say US Conducted Mission to Brings Ships Out of Persian GulfDH Logistics View
- The main judgment today is that Middle East risk has moved from schedule delay into a combined problem of booking restrictions, port changes, landbridge moves, empty returns, storage and insurance. Looking only at the ocean freight rate will understate the real cost, especially for cargo already in transit or destined for upper-Gulf markets.
- The Asia-Europe and Indian Subcontinent-Europe surcharge updates show carriers passing fuel, diversion, peak-season and regional security costs to customers faster. Late-June and July quotes need active validity management by PCD and equipment type.
- Capacity structure is splitting into two layers: large-carrier concentration is rising while regional feeder and Southeast Asia networks are expanding. Exporters with multi-country production or transshipment plans should manage mainline slots, feeder links, regional inland moves and customs paperwork as one plan.
- In airfreight, pharma cold chain is moving from standard temperature-controlled cargo into a more segmented, high-value and high-liability phase. Time-critical cargo needs contingency plans built into the solution before disruption occurs.
Planning Notes
- For Middle East cargo, confirm cargo type, origin, discharge port, transshipment port, final consignee location, direct-delivery needs and local pre-approval before booking.
- For Gulf cargo already in transit, immediately calculate emergency freight, temporary storage, return-to-origin, COD, D&D and insurance coverage, then agree decision deadlines with customers.
- For Far East-North Europe/Mediterranean July shipments, recheck PSS by PCD, South Korea/non-South Korea origin, equipment type and destination scope, and avoid long unmanaged quote validity.
- For India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and other South Asia origins into Europe, calculate ECS separately before and after the June 24 PCD to avoid mismatch between procurement and logistics contracts.
- For multi-country sourcing and Southeast Asia transshipment, add buffers for feeder schedules, regional port congestion, barge connections and inland trucking.
- For pharma and temperature-controlled airfreight, require visibility data, ground-handling SOPs, customs coordination, exposure-point controls and backup flight plans.
- For cargo routed via Hormuz, the Gulf of Oman, Gulf of Aden, Red Sea or nearby lanes, check war-risk insurance, piracy exposure, sanctions payments, vessel acceptance and delivery promises before booking.
- Customer quotes should separate base freight, PSS/ECS, emergency freight, storage, D&D, insurance and port-change costs so changes can be approved quickly.
Sources
View sources (8)
- Middle East Operational Update 35Maersk · 2026-06-10
- Implementation of Peak Season Surcharge (PSS) from Far East Asia to North Europe and Mediterranean (E1W/E2W)Maersk · 2026-06-10
- Change to Emergency Contingency Surcharge Indian Subcontinent to North Europe & Mediterranean (E3W & E4W)Maersk · 2026-06-10
- MSC becomes first carrier to break 20% global market share barrierThe Loadstar · 2026-06-10
- HMM eyes hub-and spoke model as it expands feeder fleetThe Loadstar · 2026-06-10
- Airfreight must prepare for a new wave of pharma - 'current processes won't work'The Loadstar · 2026-06-10
- Trump Say US Conducted Mission to Brings Ships Out of Persian GulfThe Maritime Executive · 2026-06-10
- Small Boat Trades Gunfire with Cargo Ship off Yemen as Incidents ContinueThe Maritime Executive · 2026-06-10