Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) has announced revised Freight All Kinds (FAK) base rates for cargo moving from Northwest Continental Europe and Scandinavia/Baltic ports to destinations across North America.
The new rates will take effect from 1 October 2026 and will remain valid until further notice. The changes cover shipments to the United States, Bahamas, Puerto Rico, Canada and Mexico.
For cargo bound for the United States, Bahamas and Puerto Rico, the revised rates will be determined by the container gate-in date. For shipments to Canada and Mexico, the applicable date will be the vessel’s commercial sailing date.
For example, from Antwerp, MSC’s new FAK rate to New York will be $5,700 for a 20-foot dry container and $7,900 for a 40-foot dry/high-cube container, compared with previous rates of $5,100 and $6,900 respectively.
The new rates for other key destinations from Antwerp include $5,600/$7,800 to Houston, $5,300/$7,500 to Montreal and $7,700/$9,900 to Long Beach for 20-foot and 40-foot dry/high-cube containers respectively.
The revised pricing comes as carriers continue to adjust freight levels across major transatlantic and North American trade lanes in response to changing market conditions. MSC’s latest announcement covers cargo classified as FAK, while certain categories, including IMO-regulated and high-value cargo, may be subject to separate pricing arrangements.
Additional charges may also apply, including security, peak-season, emissions-related and other contingency surcharges. MSC has noted that local and contingency charges, as well as rates for alternative port combinations and specialised equipment such as reefers, may differ from the announced levels.
The rate revision will require shippers and freight forwarders moving cargo from Northern Europe to North America to review booking schedules and landed-cost calculations ahead of the October implementation date. With different trigger dates applying to US-bound and Canada/Mexico-bound shipments, shipment timing will also be important in determining which tariff applies.
MSC’s latest move highlights the continued adjustment of ocean freight pricing on the North Europe–North America trade as carriers respond to demand, capacity deployment and operating-cost pressures.