Pakistani exporters face rising costs as shipping lines and air cargo handlers impose war-risk and emergency surcharges linked to the Middle East conflict, with charges reaching up to $4,000 per container.

News Desk

KARACHI: Pakistani exporters are confronting escalating cost pressures as global shipping lines and air cargo handlers impose fresh surcharges linked to the Middle East conflict, threatening to undermine the country’s trade competitiveness, disrupt supply chains and heighten external-sector vulnerabilities.

Maersk raises emergency surcharge

Shipping giant Maersk has announced a hike in its Emergency Contingency Surcharge (ECS) applicable to shipments originating from Pakistan and the broader subcontinent destined for West Africa, with the revised charges taking effect from April 1.

Air cargo handlers levy ad hoc charges

In addition to the shipping line surcharges, air cargo handlers Menzies RAS and Gerry’s Dnata have introduced ad hoc charges ranging from Rs25 to Rs50 per kilogramme on export cargo. These charges come on top of the already heavy war risk and emergency conflict surcharges being levied by shipping lines.

A UAE-based airline has also announced supplementary freight charges of $0.70 per kilogramme on exports from Pakistan, effective March 19, 2026, citing shifts in market conditions as the reason behind the increase.

War-risk surcharges reach up to $4,000 per container

The outbreak of war in the Middle East has prompted shipping companies to impose war-risk and emergency conflict surcharges ranging from $3,500 to $4,000 per twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU), depending on the shipping line involved.

The cumulative effect of these surcharges — spanning both sea and air freight — is placing a significant financial burden on Pakistani exporters. The additional costs are seen as a direct consequence of the instability in the Middle East region, which has disrupted key maritime and air trade routes.

The rising logistics costs present a challenge to Pakistan’s export sector, which has been striving to maintain its foothold in competitive international markets. With surcharges being applied across multiple modes of transport and by several major logistics operators simultaneously, the financial impact on the country’s external trade could be considerable.

The surcharges affect exporters shipping goods to various destinations, with the West Africa route and other corridors passing through or near conflict-affected zones bearing the brunt of the cost increases. The situation adds to the broader set of economic headwinds facing Pakistan’s trade sector amid an already challenging global environment.

Published Date: March 19, 2026