As the year-end peak season approaches, Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) has announced new FAK (Freight All Kinds) rates effective December 1, 2025. These changes cover shipments from China and the wider Far East to Europe, the Mediterranean, North Africa, and the Black Sea — and will affect global exporters and importers. GoodShip56 explains how this impacts your logistics and how we can help with China-to-global air & sea freight solutions.

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1. Key Highlights of MSC’s New Rate Structure

Wide trade-lane coverage

The new FAK rates apply to shipments from the Far East (China, Japan, Korea, Southeast Asia) to North Europe, West & East Mediterranean, Adriatic regions, North Africa, and the Black Sea.

Multiple surcharges included

MSC’s structure bundles base freight with a range of surcharges, including Global Fuel Surcharge (GFS), Emission Control Area (ECA) surcharges, Carbon Limit Surcharge (CLS), and Carbon Review Surcharge (CRS), which together raise per-container costs significantly.

Rapid increases observed

On some North Europe trades, 40HQ rates have jumped to around USD 3,100, reflecting increases of up to 50% in a short period.

2. Why Are Freight Rates Rising?

  • Carrier-led adjustments: When a major carrier like MSC moves rates, others often follow.
  • Tight capacity: Peak season demand, slower container cycles, and equipment shortages reduce available space.
  • Stricter environmental rules: EU carbon policies and expanded ECA zones increase operational costs for carriers.

3. What This Means for Exporters and Global Buyers

Shippers should expect higher logistics costs, potential lead-time changes, and an increased need for proactive inventory and transportation planning. Multimodal solutions are likely to see higher demand as companies seek to balance cost and speed.

4. How Your Business Can Prepare

Book space early

Lock in space and rates ahead of the December adjustment to avoid last-minute premium charges or lack of capacity.

Evaluate alternative routes & multimodal

Consider Sea + Air, Sea + Rail, alternative hub ports, or transit options to reduce dependency on a single, volatile lane.

Match mode to cargo value

  • High value / urgent → Air freight
  • Heavy / low-value → Sea freight
  • Mid-value / e-commerce → Sea-Air or hybrid solutions

Build long-term cooperation

Year-round agreements with logistics partners can secure more stable pricing and priority allocation.

5. GoodShip56 — China-to-Global Air & Sea Freight Solutions

GoodShip56 provides comprehensive logistics services from China to destinations across the globe — not limited to China–US trades. Our core capabilities include:

Global Coverage

North America, Europe, Middle East, Southeast Asia, Australia & New Zealand, Africa, South America.

Ocean Freight

  • FCL (full container load)
  • LCL (consolidation)
  • Door-to-door DDP services
  • Direct and transshipment options

Air Freight

  • Contracted airline space and express options
  • DDP air-express / air-cargo services
  • Solutions for sensitive cargo, general cargo, and e-commerce

Multimodal & Hybrid Routing

Sea + Air, Sea + Rail, Air + Truck — we design hybrid routes to optimize cost and transit time and increase resilience during market volatility.

Conclusion

MSC’s December rate changes mark a renewed upward cycle in global freight pricing. Exporters and importers should plan early, explore multimodal options, and partner with a reliable logistics provider. If you’re planning shipments in December or before the Chinese New Year, GoodShip56 can help secure competitive rates, stable space, and faster transit times to destinations worldwide.

Need assistance now? Email us at wuyuanbo@goodship56.com or call +86-153-2725-4796 to discuss tailored shipping solutions.