The container liner company ZIM Integrated Shipping Services has decided to implement an Israel war risk premium surcharge to customers, following a massive increase in insurance premium for ships trading to the country’s ports.
Zim said that although is paying this premium from immediate effect, it has decided to implement the new charge, war risk premium (WRP) for cargo to and from Israel.
The company gave an updated-customer advisory regarding the war situation in Israel after the attack by Palestinian militant group Hamas against Israel.
The company reported that it will pass on the new charge “at cost”. Additional fees range from $50 per teu to $100 per teu, depending on the service.
In light of the war situation, insurers have imposed an additional war risk insurance premium on all vessels calling Israeli ports, which the container liner ZIM is now obligated to pay in order to maintain service to and from Israel.
The Israel-based shipping line, in the update, said that the war risk premium surcharge will apply on cargo gated in on or after October 12th.
For shipments between USA and Israel only, the war risk premium surcharge will apply on cargo gated in from October 17th onwards. Until further notice the surcharge from China will be applied to Haifa and Eilat ports only.
As advised by ZIM´s insurers, the war risk premium surcharge is subject to changes every 24 hours and therefore the company will update the war risk premium surcharge as per these changes.
At this time, despite the war situation in Israel, all local terminals, in Ashdod, Haifa and Eilat, are operating as usual with some limitations on DG cargo that will be handled by ZIM´s professional teams per case basis.
ZIM said “service interruptions may occur, on short notice, as a result of safety guidelines dictated by the Israeli authorities, at which time we will provide additional updates.”
Despite the new charge, ZIM continues to operate and accept bookings to and from Israel.
