What moves your costs, your transit times and your cargo today.

Good morning. The key issue today is the accumulation of small costs that cease to be small when multiplied across thousands of transactions. The new European customs charge and low-water surcharges on the Rhine require pricing and responsibility allocations to be reviewed before invoices arrive with no margin to pass costs on.

THE DAY IN 30 SECONDS

• The EU will apply a €2 handling fee to imported distance sales from 1 November.
• The Council has extended sanctions against 80 individuals and 20 entities linked to Russian activities until 9 October 2027.
• Germany has blocked COSCO’s acquisition of 80% of Zippel, citing increased European logistics dependency.
• Global container traffic reached a record 17.46 million TEU in August, up 3.7% year on year.
• Maersk has raised its low-Rhine surcharges to as much as €2,045 per container.
• US imports are expected to lose momentum in October, although Global Port Tracker still forecasts 2.11 million TEU.
• MSC and ONE will maintain their joint weekly service between Asia and South America’s east coast following Hapag-Lloyd’s withdrawal.
• DP World has secured a 15-year concession to operate Chittagong’s main container terminal.
• The WTO has raised its 2026 world merchandise trade forecast to 3.9%, but expects European exports to decline.

🌍 REGULATION AND COMPLIANCE

EU extends Russia sanctions until October 2027

The Council of the EU has extended until 9 October 2027 its measures against individuals and entities considered responsible for Russian destabilising activities abroad. The regime currently covers 80 individuals and 20 entities, whose assets are frozen and to whom European companies may not provide funds or economic resources.

Why it matters: The extension does not introduce a general trade ban, but it leaves intact the requirement to screen customers, beneficial owners, banks and final recipients. Sanctions-screening results should remain in the file for each transaction, particularly where intermediaries or split payments are involved.

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Germany blocks COSCO acquisition of 80% of Zippel

The German government has prohibited COSCO from acquiring 80% of Konrad Zippel, an operator of road and rail container transport between Hamburg, Bremerhaven and Germany’s hinterland. Berlin argues that the transaction would increase dependencies and put the resilience of German and European supply chains at risk.

Why it matters: Zippel will continue operating, so the decision does not interrupt existing services. It does confirm that Chinese investment in European terminals, data and inland transport will face tighter security scrutiny, including after competition approval has been granted.

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🚪 CUSTOMS

EU activates €2 customs fee on 1 November

The figure: €2 from 1 November 2026

Why it matters: The new charge is added to the temporary €3-per-item duty already borne by certain imported distance sales in consignments valued at up to €150. Under DDP, the seller must budget for it; under DAP or DPU, customs clearance and import charges normally fall to the buyer. Final pricing, IOSS arrangements and platform configurations need to reflect the change before 1 November.

• The Commission updated its guidance on 8 October to include the Union handling fee.
• The €3 duty forms part of the import VAT taxable base, while the handling fee is excluded from VAT.
• Product identifiers will become mandatory on 1 November to improve traceability and controls.

What to watch: How postal operators, platforms and couriers pass the charge through in invoices and simplified declarations.

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📊 FREIGHT RATES AND MARKET SIGNALS