TRIESTE – MSC has announced an update to container freight rates from the Far East to Europe. The new FAK (Freight All Kinds) rates will apply from 15 January 2026 and will remain valid until 31 January, unless further revised.
According to the customer notice published by Mediterranean Shipping Company, the rates apply to all shipments from Far East base ports to Northern Europe, the Mediterranean – including the Adriatic and North Africa – and the Black Sea. Non-base ports will be subject to the usual surcharges.
For Northern Europe, MSC indicates a benchmark rate of $2,400 for a 20-foot container and $4,000 for a 40-foot. Higher levels apply to the Mediterranean and the Adriatic, where the FAK level rises to around $4,000 for a 20-foot and $5,700 for a 40-foot. Rates are expressed in US dollars and apply from base port to base port, excluding ancillary charges.
The update comes in a market context marked by renewed upward pressure on Asia–Europe freight rates, also confirmed by international sources in the logistics and shipping sector, which report similar announcements by other carriers on the same routes. The new MSC rates apply to FAK cargo and do not replace any long-term contractual agreements already in place.
For European operators, especially those active in Mediterranean and Adriatic ports, the announcement confirms a phase of higher transport-cost volatility at the start of 2026, with direct effects on shipment planning and on supply chain margins.
