Peak-season surcharges arrive: many shippers will avoid the full $400-per-FEU charge.(Container Shipping)(Flight Equivalent Unit )

Ocean carriers are convinced that their vessels in the eastbound Pacific trade will be full in September and October. The evidence: They're planning to impose peak-season surcharges that were supposed to be levied in mid-June.

U.S. importers, cargo consolidators and spot shippers that did not specifically address surcharges in this year's service contracts will be asked to pay a surcharge of as much as $400 per FEU through Oct. 31. Many shippers, however, will be able to negotiate a lesser fee--carriers don't want to push their luck too much ill a market where supply and demand are in relative balance. Also, importers experiencing unusually long delays because of congestion in Los Angeles-Long Beach may find that some carriers will exempt them from the peak-season surcharges.

Carriers this spring raised their freight rates on many import shipments from Asia by $100 to $200 per FEU. At the time, the lines stated that they intended to impose a peak-season …