Following a two-month postponement, the Transpacific Stabilization Agreement (TSA) is set to impose peak season surcharges from August 15.
The TSA said there are signs of an approaching peak season as enterprises begin restocking shelves for the back to school and holiday seasons and businesses resume global sourcing of materials and components.
The association was supposed to add an extra fee of $400 per 40-foot container for cargo to the US from Asia from June 15 to November 30, but it delayed the implementation on June 7 due to a soft market.
Asia-stationed researchers and forwarders have expressed doubts that the TSA will push through with its August 15 schedule in the face of excess vessel space. They predict that the slow business will further delay the enforcement of the surcharge by another two to three weeks.
The TSA is a 15-member group of major container shipping lines offering services from Asia to the U.S. Members are APL, China Shipping, CMA-CGM, COSCO, Evergreen Line, Hanjin Shipping, Hapag Lloyd, Hyundai Merchant Marine, “K” Line, Maersk Line, Mediterranean Shipping Co., NYK Line, Orient Overseas Container Line, Yangming Marine Transport and Zim Integrated Shipping Services.
