This surcharge is introduced in response to persistently low water levels across key Dutch inland waterways—conditions exacerbated by recent prolonged drought. As a result, navigational restrictions have been imposed, and the Twentekanaal has undergone temporary closure. These hydrological constraints have led to reduced barge payload capacity, diminished inland transport availability, and elevated operational expenditures across the logistics chain.

The LWS will remain in effect until water levels at designated monitoring points revert to thresholds consistent with standard navigational and operational safety requirements. The surcharge amount is tiered by container size (20′, 40′, and 45′) and varies by terminal, contingent upon real-time water level measurements at specified gauging stations. A supplementary surcharge applies to all sailings routed via Nijmegen when water levels at the Tiel Gauge fall below 1.5 metres.

Maersk emphasizes that the LWS is not intended as a profit-generating measure, but rather a cost-recovery mechanism designed to mitigate the financial impact of low-water-induced inefficiencies—including reduced vessel utilization, increased transit times, and heightened fuel and handling costs—thereby helping to sustain service continuity and reliability. The Company notes that the duration and severity of the current low-water event remain subject to meteorological uncertainty and cannot be forecast with precision.

Resource.: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/iFGJN2gSoLHbUtzvbgAFTw