Several carriers have announced increases in their Panama Canal surcharge fees, following June's announcement that the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) would implement a USD10 per TEU increase in its transit fees for laden containers effective from January 1, 2011.

Geneva-based Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) last week announced that its Panama Canal Surcharge (PCS) would rise from USD175 to USD200 per TEU for all cargoes moving between US & Canada and the west coast of South America (WCSA). The change takes effect from December 15, 2010.

Meanwhile, Germany's Hapag-Lloyd has raised its canal surcharges to USD145 per TEU for cargo moving between Oceania and the Americas and to USD315 per FEU on the transatlantic trade and routes between the North American west coast and the Middle East.

The new ACP tariff which takes effect from the beginning of next year raised the cost of transiting the canal by USD10 per laden TEU, from USD72 to USD82 per TEU. However, it introduced concessions for shipping lines carrying empty containers, holding the fee at USD72 per empty TEU.

Whether this reprieve is taken into account in forthcoming carriers' canal surcharges remains to be seen.