Dear Valued Customer,
Please be advised that ongoing low water levels on the St. Lawrence River are significantly impacting vessel operations to and from the Port of Montreal. According to recent forecasts from the Canadian Coast Guard, water levels are not expected to recover in the short to medium term, resulting in vessel draft restrictions and reduced carrying capacity.
As a result, multiple ocean carriers have announced the implementation of Low Water Surcharges (LWS) or equivalent charges on cargo moving to Montreal. These surcharges aim to offset operational limitations and are being applied across various trade lanes and cargo types.
Key Details:
Effective Dates: Beginning mid to late July 2025 (exact dates vary by origin and carrier)
Surcharge Amounts:
- Typically USD 150 per TEU, or
- USD 300 per container, depending on equipment size and carrier
Trade Lanes Affected:
- North Europe (including UK, Ireland, Scandinavia, Poland, Baltic, North Spain)
- Mediterranean & Black Sea regions (including Southern Europe, North Africa, Türkiye, Egypt, Lebanon)
- West Africa (including ports in Nigeria, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, Angola, and others)
Destinations Impacted: Montreal, Canada and all inland points serviced via the Port of Montreal
Cargo Types: All containerized cargo, including Dry and Reefer. Some surcharges exclude Out of Gauge (OOG) and Breakbulk cargo.
In some cases, surcharges will apply even in the event of vessel rerouting caused by draft limitations. We recommend reviewing the applicable surcharge structures from your service providers and incorporating these costs into your logistics planning.
We continue to monitor the situation closely and will share updates as they become available. For specific surcharge applications or routing questions, please contact your account representative or our customer service team.
Source: CMA CGM; MSC Advisory; OOCL Advisory