French liner CMA CGM has announced a War Risk Surcharge (WRS) of USD 35 per TEU (about €31) for cargo to and from Black Sea ports, effective for bills of lading issued from 9 November 2026. The carrier said the step responds to a “seriously deteriorated” operational situation in the Black Sea and will cover Constanța, Poti, Varna, Burgas and other regional calls.
Why CEE car flows are exposed
Constanța is a major gateway for vehicles, automotive components and CKD/SKD kits destined for Romania, the Balkans and further into Central Asia; private and terminal operators including DP World have invested in Ro‑Ro and vehicle-handling capacity at Constanța in recent years (DP World’s facility in Constanța was promoted as having an annual finished‑vehicle capacity of around 80,000 units). Many Romanian car exports and CKD shipments from plants such as Dacia’s Mioveni move via rail and road to Constanța for onward sea liftings.
The surcharge is not large in isolation, but it applies to all containerised freight (dry, OOG, reefers and specialist cargo) and will be levied on every bill of lading issued from the stated date. Shipping press outlets and freight‑forwarding commentators say the charge is likely to be copied by other lines, raising baseline costs for imports and exports that use Black Sea feeder and mainline services.
Industry and logistics reactions
Automotive logistics providers and OEM logistics planners typically run very tight cost and timing models for CKD kits, parts shipments and finished vehicles. A fixed surcharge of USD 35/TEU will add directly to landed cost for imported components, and — if mirrored by other carriers or compounded by insurance and security‑related premiums — could push some near‑term shipments to alternative routes or ports (rail to Black Sea alternatives, Adriatic gateways, or more expensive short‑sea and feeder links). CMA CGM specifically warns customers that the measure covers feeder services and cargoes transiting Constanța that serve Moldova, Ukraine and Central Asian markets.
