Maersk Fuel Surcharge Rises 54% on U.S. Inland Haulage

Maersk will raise its U.S. inland haulage fuel surcharge by $75 per container on November 1, taking the charge from $140 to $215, a 53.6% increase. The change applies when Maersk arranges U.S. trucking under its ocean bill of lading and the shipment’s Price Calculation Date is on or after November 1, 2026. Importers pricing door delivery face a higher line item. The ocean freight rate itself is unchanged.

The notice, published October 12, ties the adjustment to a rise of more than $0.10 per gallon in the 13-week average U.S. diesel price. Maersk says the higher fuel cost is putting pressure on linehaul, drayage, depot and first-mile transportation. That is a carrier's explanation of its pricing decision, rather than a measure of the full cost increase across the market.

Related reading: Canada drayage cost set for a 24% fuel surcharge.

The comparison is specific: $75 divided by the existing $140 charge equals a 53.6% increase in this surcharge. It does not mean the entire inland haulage bill or a shipment's total landed cost will rise by that percentage. The surcharge is one component of a broader transport quote, and the carrier says it will appear separately on the bill of lading.

What the diesel series says

The U.S. Energy Information Administration's weekly on-highway diesel series gives a useful check on the timing. It reported $6.199 per gallon for the week of October 5, down from $6.382 for September 28, while the September 21 observation was $6.529. The weekly figures show a recent retreat from that September high, even as the carrier cites the trailing 13-week average as the basis for its November surcharge.

Related reading: Italy Inland Fuel Surcharge Rises to 7% for Rail Haulage.

Those measures can move in different directions without contradicting each other. A current weekly price captures the latest reported week; a 13-week average smooths the earlier run-up and responds more slowly to a decline. Maersk's notice does not publish the exact average or the comparison period behind its threshold, so the EIA observations should not be treated as a direct reconstruction of the company's calculation.

This lag matters for shippers reviewing freight budgets. A fall in a weekly diesel print does not by itself show that a scheduled surcharge will reverse before its effective date. Nor does the posted surcharge tell a shipper how much of a particular truck move is fuel-related. Route length, local drayage conditions and the underlying contract remain material.

Related reading: Diesel Falls to $6.20, Yet Freight Fuel Bills Remain High.

Where the bill changes

The scope is narrower than the headline can suggest. Maersk says the new rate covers shipments on a Maersk ocean bill of lading where Maersk arranges trucking to or from the customer's door within the United States. It applies according to the Price Calculation Date, not simply the day a container arrives at a port. A cargo owner comparing quotes should therefore check the billing date field and whether inland transport is arranged through Maersk.

For a shipment already budgeted at the old $140 rate, the direct change is $75 per qualifying container. Across a group of containers, the incremental charge scales with the count, but that arithmetic is not a forecast of total logistics expense. It excludes any negotiated terms, other accessorial charges, fuel charges from separate trucking providers and changes in ocean rates.

Related reading: Diesel Hits $6.29 a Gallon and the Truck Leg Now Sets Landed Cost.

Drayage providers and other carriers may use different formulas or adjustment schedules. Maersk's notice should not be generalized to competing services. Its value as a market signal is that it documents fuel pressure being passed through one integrated ocean and inland network, while the precise size and timing of the pass-through remain carrier-specific.

What to watch before November

Shippers have a short window to check which planned moves will receive a November 1 or later Price Calculation Date. The operational task is to compare the current quote with the revised surcharge, confirm which legs Maersk arranges, and distinguish that line from the base ocean rate. For contracts with multiple inland options, the relevant comparison is the complete door-delivery quote, not a single surcharge in isolation.

Two datapoints will help assess the next repricing risk: subsequent EIA weekly diesel observations and any new Maersk notice revising the rate. The EIA series can show whether the recent easing continues, while the carrier's own published adjustment determines what customers are actually billed. If weekly prices keep falling, the 13-week average may eventually reflect more of that move, but the October 12 notice gives no timetable or formula for a downward reset.

For now, the cleanest conclusion is limited but useful: Maersk has scheduled a materially higher U.S. inland fuel charge for eligible shipments, even though the latest EIA weekly print in hand is below its prior two readings. That gap is a reminder to separate spot fuel direction from a carrier's lagged pricing rule. The November 1 calculation date and the next published surcharge notice are the checkpoints for importers building landed-cost estimates.

This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Consult a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions.

Sources include Maersk's October 12, 2026 U.S. inland fuel surcharge announcement and the U.S. Energy Information Administration weekly U.S. No. 2 diesel retail price series, EMD_EPD2D_PTE_NUS_DPG.