When cargo demand rises and vessel space or equipment becomes tight, ocean quotations may include a Peak Season Surcharge. The difficult point is that there is no single global “peak season” calendar. One carrier may apply PSS by loading date, another by tariffing date or price calculation date; the amount may also vary by trade lane, equipment, cargo and contract type. Reading only the PSS line without checking scope and date rules can lead to expired rates, duplicate charges or invalid quotation comparisons. This guide explains the commercial mechanism, charge bases, application timing and verification process.

Operational reference for importers, exporters, procurement, logistics and operations teams | Updated 16 July 2026

QUICK FACTS

What is PSS?

A carrier or transport-provider surcharge that may be applied when demand, capacity or equipment is under peak-period pressure.

Is it fixed?

No. It varies by carrier, trade, period, equipment, cargo, contract and application-date rule.

Common charge bases

Per container, TEU, W/M or shipment; payable amount equals the valid tariff multiplied by chargeable units.

Key checks

Origin–destination, equipment, effective date/date basis, validity, inclusions and prepaid/collect.

Illustration for What Is a Peak Season Surcharge (PSS)? — Illustration of the logistics topic, document or operation discussed in the article.

SCOPE

This article primarily covers FCL and LCL ocean freight quotations issued by carriers, NVOCCs and forwarders, including PSS shown in quotations, booking confirmations, tariffs, debit notes or invoices.

Do not assume every lane carries PSS or that PSS only applies in the fourth quarter. Notices may apply until further notice, to one specific trade, or from different effective dates by origin country. Dry, reefer, OOG, SOC/COC, spot and contract cargo may be treated differently.

TERMINOLOGY

Term	Meaning	Operational role
PSS	Peak Season Surcharge.	Commercial surcharge published by trade, equipment, period and conditions.
Trade lane	Origin-to-destination shipping corridor.	Determines whether a PSS notice covers the shipment.
Tariffing date	Date used to determine the applicable tariff.	May differ from booking date, ETD or actual sailing date.
Price calculation date	Carrier-defined pricing date.	Determines the valid rate/PSS in certain systems.
Loading date	Date cargo/container is loaded at origin.	Used as the effective basis in some notices.
TEU	Twenty-foot equivalent unit.	Some PSS tariffs are quoted per TEU.
FAK	Freight All Kinds.	PSS may be charged outside FAK or included, depending on the rate sheet.

COMMERCIAL MECHANISM

PSS is a commercial pricing adjustment used when demand increases or operational capacity and equipment are under pressure. It may support higher operating, network, equipment-management or space-allocation costs. It is not a fee set by a government or international body.

Verification formula: Expected PSS = valid PSS tariff × chargeable units.

The main challenge is selecting the correct tariff, date basis and chargeable unit. Official notices show different practices: CMA CGM has used loading date and USD/TEU; Maersk has used effective price calculation date; Hapag-Lloyd has referred to tariffing date.

PSS CALCULATION BASES

Basis	Verification formula	Illustrative example	Check
Per container	Rate by equipment × number of containers	USD 300/20’ × 2 = USD 600	Separate rates for 20’, 40’, HC, reefer or OOG.
Per TEU	Rate/TEU × total TEU	USD 250/TEU × 4 TEU = USD 1,000	Carrier conversion and equipment exceptions.
W/M for LCL	Rate/W/M × revenue tons	USD 8/W/M × 6 = USD 48	Minimum charge, rounding and weight/measure rule.
Per shipment/B/L	Fixed amount × shipments/Bills	USD 35/shipment × 1 = USD 35	HBL, MBL or one-time application.
Included in freight	Do not add if expressly inclusive	Ocean freight: “incl. PSS”	Validity and inclusions/exclusions.

WHEN IS PSS COMMONLY APPLIED?

Situation	Possible mechanism	Data to check	Do not assume
Demand surge on a trade	High space utilisation and booking volumes.	Trade advisory, space status, effective date.	All trades increase at the same time.
Local equipment pressure	Carrier manages container availability and network flow.	Equipment type, origin depot, exclusions.	PSS is the same as CIC/EIS.
Holiday or retail shipping rush	Shippers advance cargo before deadlines.	Ready date, cut-off and sailing plan.	There is one global peak-season calendar.
Capacity adjustment	Blank sailings, service changes or slot limitations.	Service string, schedule and notice.	PSS guarantees confirmed space.
Long-term contracts	PSS may sit outside the base rate under a surcharge clause.	Contract validity and surcharge terms.	Contract cargo is automatically exempt.
Spot/FAK	PSS may be separate or embedded.	Quotation inclusions/exclusions.	It should be added when already inclusive.

PSS VS GRI, CIC AND OTHER SURCHARGES

Charge/adjustment	Nature	Typical trigger	Difference
PSS	Peak-period surcharge by trade and period.	Demand/capacity/equipment pressure.	Temporary and date/scope specific.
GRI	General Rate Increase.	Carrier raises the base freight level.	A rate-level change, not always a separate charge line.
CIC/EIS	Equipment imbalance surcharge.	Empty-container imbalance and repositioning.	Linked to equipment management.
Congestion surcharge	Port/terminal congestion charge.	Long waiting time or terminal disruption.	Location-specific operational congestion.
LSS/BAF	Fuel/environmental surcharge.	Bunker cost or emissions compliance.	Different cost mechanism from PSS.

DOCUMENTS AND DATA TO CHECK

Document/data	Issued/prepared by	Purpose	Fields to match
Quotation/Rate sheet	Carrier/NVOCC/forwarder	Inclusion status, validity and currency.	POL/POD, equipment, cargo, basis and inclusions.
Carrier advisory/Tariff	Carrier	Amount, scope and effective date.	Origin, destination, date basis and exceptions.
Booking confirmation	Transport provider	Sailing, equipment and booking party.	Vessel/voyage, ETD, POL/POD and equipment.
Contract/NAC	Carrier and customer	Surcharge treatment outside base rate.	Named account, duration and surcharge clause.
Debit note/Invoice	Billing party	Actual amount and payer.	Charge code, quantity, rate and currency.
Sales contract/Incoterms	Buyer and seller	Final allocation between trading parties.	Named place/port, Incoterms version and freight term.

PSS VERIFICATION PROCESS

Step	Input	Check	Output
1. Lock the scope	Origin, destination, FCL/LCL, cargo, equipment.	Standardise RFQ data and actual routing.	Common pricing scope.
2. Break down the quote	Ocean freight and surcharge list.	Find PSS and any inclusive wording.	Included/excluded list.
3. Identify date basis	Advisory and rate terms.	Separate booking, tariffing, loading, ETD and calculation date.	Applicable date rule.
4. Map the tariff	Trade, equipment and contract.	Select the correct line.	Valid unit rate.
5. Recalculate	Unit rate and chargeable units.	Multiply by container, TEU, W/M or shipment; check minimums.	Expected PSS.
6. Identify payer	Freight terms and Incoterms.	Separate carrier billing from commercial cost allocation.	Clear responsibility.
7. Reconcile invoice	Debit note/invoice.	Check code, quantity, rate and FX.	Accept or dispute with evidence.

RISKS AND COMMON ERRORS

Error	Cause	Impact	Control
Assuming PSS only applies at year-end	Using a generic seasonal calendar.	Missed surcharge on a mid-year trade.	Track carrier advisories by trade and date.
Wrong date basis	Looking only at ETD or booking date.	Incorrect tariff and debit-note variance.	Record tariffing/loading/calculation date.
Duplicate PSS	Quotation was already inclusive.	Overstated landed cost.	Map inclusions line by line.
Confusing PSS with GRI/CIC	Relying on translated labels only.	Invalid quotation comparison.	Map charge codes and mechanisms.
Wrong equipment	Applying dry or 20’ rate to another type.	Budget shortfall.	Lock equipment and cargo type.
Treating PSS as a space guarantee	Confusing surcharge acceptance with confirmation.	Rollover or delay despite payment.	Obtain booking/space confirmation separately.
Wrong payer assumption	Applying Incoterms mechanically.	Buyer–seller disputes.	Separate carrier billing and sale-contract allocation.

OFFICIAL SOURCES

Official source	Information used	Application
Maersk – Far East Asia to Europe PSS, 16 June 2026	Effective price calculation dates and origin-specific timing.	Date-basis and trade-scope example.
Hapag-Lloyd – North Europe to North America/Mexico PSS, 1 April 2026	Tariffing date and equipment-specific amounts.	Equipment-based charging example.
CMA CGM – Asia to North Europe PSS, 3 June 2026	Loading date, USD/TEU and deal-validity condition.	Rate basis, date basis and contract scope.
ONE – Europe/Mediterranean to Oceania PSS, 17 June 2026	Dry/reefer/OOG scope, TEU basis and until further notice.	Cargo/equipment scope example.

FAQ

Is PSS mandatory for every ocean shipment?

No. It applies only where the valid tariff or contract covers the correct trade, time and shipment.

How long does peak season last?

There is no universal period. Notices may state a fixed end date or “until further notice”.

Is a 40-foot container always charged twice a 20-foot container?

Not automatically. TEU-based tariffs often work that way, but equipment-specific levels may differ.

Is PSS refunded after a delay or rollover?

Not automatically. Refund or adjustment depends on tariff terms, booking conditions, cause and agreement.

Is PSS included in an All-in rate?

Only when the quotation clearly states it is included or lists PSS within the valid All-in components.

Does Incoterms determine whom the carrier invoices?

No. Incoterms allocates buyer–seller costs; carrier billing depends on booking party, contract and prepaid/collect setup.

What if invoiced PSS is higher than quoted?

Check validity, date basis, equipment, route and charge code, then request the tariff reference used.

APPLICATION NOTE: Amounts and arithmetic examples are illustrative only. PSS is time-sensitive and must be verified against the valid tariff, quotation and contract for the exact trade, equipment and date basis.

TGIMEX IMPLEMENTATION SUPPORT

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Convert guidance into checks

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Reconcile shipment data

Compare booking, transport, commercial, customs, and delivery evidence.

Manage operational risk

Record discrepancies, actions, and decision evidence to prevent recurrence.

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