THE Suez Canal Authority will increase surcharges on transit dues for most vessel types by 12 percentage points from mid-July.
In a series of navigational circulars published by the authority, surcharge increases were confirmed for LNG and LPG carriers, containerships, crude oil tankers, product tankers, vehicle carriers and containerships, each by 12 percentage points.
Vessels must pay these surcharges on top of the standard Suez Canal transit fee. Crude oil tankers remain the hardest hit, with laden tankers forced to pay a 37% surcharge on top of that base rate from July 15, 2026 (those in ballast are charged 27% extra).
Bulkers will see their surcharge increase to 22% from 10%, LNG carriers 19% from 7% and vehicle carriers 25% from 14% northbound (12% southbound). Containerships also face a 12% surcharge now too, on top of their base rate and the existing surcharge for the number of containers on deck.
Passenger vessels are the only ship type not affected by the rate hikes.
The announcement comes just as tensions in the Red Sea have reignited. Fresh missile fire exchanged between Israel and Iran has prompted Yemeni rebel group the Houthis to declare a ban on all Israeli shipping in the Red Sea.
Houthi spokesman Yahya Saree posted on X that the militia will consider all Israeli vessels moving in the Red Sea as “legitimate military targets”, fuelling concerns that the 230-day lull in Houthi attacks might come to an end.
