Maersk will start charging new port dues on all container exports and imports through Timaru from 1 February 2026, adding a small but important cost per box for New Zealand shippers. Exporters and importers using Timaru need to understand how the new Port Additionals/Port Dues charges work, how much they add per container, and how to plan contracts and pricing around them.
Maersk’s 2026 Port Dues Change at Timaru
From 1 February 2026, Maersk is implementing Port Additionals/Port Dues Export (PAE) and Port Additionals/Port Dues Import (PAI) for Timaru on all routes “to/from World,” with no specified end date. These surcharges are applied on top of base ocean freight, terminal handling, documentation, and other existing fees in the freight rate structure.
The Timaru PAE/PAI surcharges are set at 10 NZD per 20-foot container (TEU) and 20 NZD per 40-foot or 45-foot container, including high-cube and special equipment. This level is notably modest when compared with higher port additionals at other New Zealand ports that can exceed 80 NZD per TEU.
Key Facts About Timaru and New Zealand Trade
Timaru is a regional South Island port serving containerised exports like dairy, meat, forestry products, and some imports of manufactured goods and consumer items. New Zealand’s broader trade picture remains heavily export-driven, with goods export prices rising 3.2 percent and import prices rising 0.1 percent in the December 2024 quarter.
Across the 2023–24 year, New Zealand Customs and Biosecurity processed around 27.5 million import transactions, a 40 percent increase on the previous year, reflecting strong demand in goods flows. From 1 April 2026, Customs will also shift from transaction-based goods fees to levies, changing how some border costs are recovered from traders.
How the New Timaru Port Dues Work
The PAE and PAI charges are applied as separate line items in Maersk’s tariff for Timaru, denominated in New Zealand dollars and billed per container. They apply to both dry and reefer containers, as well as special equipment, with the same 10 NZD per TEU and 20 NZD per FEU structure on exports and imports.
Maersk’s sample route from Timaru to Algeciras demonstrates how PAE/PAI sit within a full freight quote including basic ocean freight, bunker adjustment (BAF), terminal handling at origin and destination, documentation fees, and optional services. While PAE/PAI are small compared with base ocean freight of several thousand US dollars per container on long-haul routes, they still matter when margins are tight.
Example Cost Build for a Timaru Export
For a 40-foot dry container from Timaru to a European port such as Algeciras, typical cost elements may include:
- Basic ocean freight of around 3,870 USD per 40-foot dry container.
- Terminal handling charges at origin of around 595 NZD per 40-foot container.
- Documentation fee at origin of about 80 NZD per shipment.
- Port Additionals/Port Dues Export (PAE) of 20 NZD per 40-foot container.
When the container arrives, the importer then faces terminal handling and documentation at destination plus Port Additionals/Port Dues Import (PAI) of another 20 NZD equivalent per 40-foot container. In effect, the combined PAE and PAI for a full round trip adds 40 NZD to a 40-foot box moving via Timaru.
Comparison with Other New Zealand Port Surcharges
Maersk already applies or has revised port additionals at other New Zealand ports, which provides context for Timaru’s relatively low surcharge. For example, a 2024 notice for Napier shows PAE and PAI at 80 NZD for a 20-foot container and 160 NZD for a 40-foot container, significantly higher than Timaru’s 10 and 20 NZD levels.
Timaru Container Terminal’s own tariffs for wharfage and handling show base charges around 78.48 NZD per full TEU and 144.87 NZD per full FEU, indicating that Maersk’s extra PAE/PAI is only a small percentage of total port and handling costs. By contrast, high port additionals elsewhere can constitute a substantial share of port-related costs per container, especially on short-sea or regional trades.
Indicative Surcharge Comparison by Port
This table illustrates that Timaru’s Maersk port dues are some of the lowest in Maersk’s New Zealand portfolio, which may preserve its competitive appeal as a South Island export gateway.
Why Maersk Is Adding Timaru Port Dues
Maersk indicates that port additionals like PAE and PAI are introduced “in order to keep providing you with our global services,” signalling that they are cost recovery mechanisms for local port and infrastructure expenses. Similar notices in other markets, such as Sudan and Napier, frame these surcharges as responses to higher costs in port operations, logistics, security and compliance.
Globally, Maersk and other carriers have increasingly leaned on surcharges—peak season fees, infrastructure fees, and port additionals—to manage volatility in port costs, disruption, and fuel prices. The introduction of Timaru port dues fits this wider pattern of fine-tuning local tariffs while preserving base freight rates for competitiveness on high-volume trade lanes.
Impact on Exporters Using Timaru
For exporters, the direct financial impact per container is modest but needs to be tracked across large volumes and long-term contracts. A dairy exporter shipping 200 forty-foot containers per year from Timaru to global markets would face an additional 4,000 NZD in PAE and PAI combined if costs are not absorbed or negotiated.
Because the surcharge applies to all container types including reefers, high-value temperature-controlled exports such as chilled meat or dairy products will also see the extra per-box charge on top of already higher reefer handling and energy fees. For exporters working on thin margins or with fixed-price supply contracts, these changes underline the importance of revisiting pricing and cost-sharing mechanisms with buyers and freight forwarders.
Practical Steps for Exporters
- Review 2026 contracts: Ensure contracts signed for shipments post–1 February 2026 explicitly allocate responsibility for PAE and PAI charges between seller and buyer under the chosen Incoterms.
- Update landed cost calculations: Incorporate the extra 10–20 NZD per container into internal cost models and product pricing, especially where goods are quoted on delivered terms.
- Compare ports but factor total costs: When weighing Timaru against ports like Lyttelton or Napier, consider full cost structures—freight, port charges, trucking, and surcharges—rather than focusing solely on base ocean freight differences.
Impact on Importers Using Timaru
Importers routing containers via Timaru will see PAI added on arrival, which may appear on freight invoices or through the local Maersk office depending on commercial arrangements. This sits alongside New Zealand Customs fees and levies, which are themselves undergoing reform, with transaction-based fees replaced by levies from April 2026.
For importers bringing in higher volumes of 40-foot dry or reefer containers, the extra 20 NZD per box may be small relative to product value but material when aggregated, particularly for low-margin commodities and bulk retail goods. Importers should be attentive to how these charges interplay with other increases such as infrastructure fees on inbound cargoes, which have been introduced on some routes into New Zealand ports.
Practical Steps for Importers
- Clarify surcharge pass-through: Confirm with freight forwarders or Maersk whether PAI is billed to the consignee, shipper, or split, especially under CIF or DAP arrangements.
- Adjust inventory and pricing: Include port dues in landed cost estimates, then assess whether retail prices or wholesale margins need adjustments from early 2026.
- Monitor Customs levy changes: Align planning for port surcharges with the upcoming shift to goods levies to avoid underestimating total border and port-related costs.
What This Means for Timaru’s Role in New Zealand Supply Chains
Timaru’s relatively low port dues compared with some other New Zealand ports may help sustain its attractiveness for exporters and importers in Canterbury, South Canterbury, and surrounding regions. Combined with competitive terminal tariffs and proximity to key production zones, the port can remain a cost-effective alternative to more congested or expensive gateways.
New Zealand’s overall trade environment in 2026 will still be shaped by global freight trends—such as peak season surcharges, infrastructure fees, and disruption-related charges—but Timaru’s Maersk port dues are calibrated at a level that nudges costs rather than fundamentally reshaping supply chains. For shippers, the main task is careful planning, clear communication with carriers, and disciplined cost tracking, not wholesale route abandonment
Emma Brooks is a contributing writer at richlittleragdolls.co.nz, covering news, community updates, and trending stories across New Zealand and Australia. Her work focuses on delivering clear, accurate, and reader-friendly reporting that helps audiences stay informed about regional and national developments.
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