The escalation of the situation in the Middle East has led to a sharp increase in Moroccan shipping costs.

According to a report by the Moroccan website 360 on March 9, in the face of the increasingly intensifying geopolitical security risks, many international shipping giants have urgently adjusted their freight rate policies. Rachid Tahri, the vice-chairman of the Transport and Logistics Department of the Moroccan Federation of Enterprises and the president of the Moroccan Freight Forwarders Association, revealed that some shipping companies have started to levy an "emergency war risk surcharge" on goods destined for the Gulf region. The charging standard is $2,000 for each 20-foot container, $3,000 for a 40-foot container, and $4,000 for refrigerated containers or special equipment. Fourteen countries, including Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, are affected by this.

Meanwhile, some shipping companies have further tightened their relevant policies. SeaLead Shipping from Singapore has clearly stated that the above-mentioned surcharge standard also applies to goods transshipped via the Red Sea to the Mediterranean and North African regions. The French shipping group CMA CGM has also implemented a surcharge at the same rate level since March 2. In contrast, its competitor, Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), has adopted a more cautious strategy. Since March 1, the company has suspended accepting all bookings for goods destined for the Middle East from around the world until further notice, emphasizing that this move is aimed at ensuring the safety of the crew.

As a regional core transit hub, Jebel Ali Port in Dubai is under great pressure. Tahri pointed out that a large amount of goods destined for Morocco need to be transshipped through this port. Affected by the war risk, the relevant logistics costs at the port have increased significantly. Data shows that the basic freight for a 20-foot container has risen from $2,300 to $3,300, and that for a 40-foot container has increased from $2,900 to $4,600. Moreover, the above fees do not include the separately charged war surcharge.

As the security situation in the Red Sea deteriorates, bypassing the Cape of Good Hope has become a practical choice for most shipping companies. Tahri said that this detour will extend the Asia-Europe shipping route by about 15 days, directly driving up the transportation cost. Taking goods shipped from China to Morocco as an example, the freight per container has increased by about $700.

Beyond the logistics costs, the energy market has also become a new pressure point. On March 9, the international oil price soared by 30% during intraday trading, once approaching $120 per barrel. The French shipping group CMA CGM has announced that it will levy an additional surcharge of $75 to $180 per container on all its container shipments starting from March 23. Tahri warned that if the conflict continues and the oil price remains high, the upward pressure on freight rates will inevitably be transmitted to a broader trade chain. (Economic and Commercial Office of the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the Kingdom of Morocco)