Transport: Oil Prices Rise as Maersk Introduces Surcharges
Cost risk in European road haulage is clearly increasing: supply disruptions have pushed up oil prices, while Maersk is introducing emergency inland surcharges from 16 September in parts of the Nordic and Baltic regions. At the same time, the cost of transporting Ukrainian agricultural produce to Romania is rising, while authorities and industry organisations are tightening requirements for carriers.
Prepared by the CargoNice editorial team with AI support, based on the sources listed and CargoNice's own market data. Machine translation of the Polish original. Editorial policy · Read the Polish original
- 2 107,39 EUR/1000LEU diesel, 7 September
- 2 328,00 EUR/1000LGermany diesel, 7 September
- 2,27 EUR/kmPoland→Germany spot rate
- 20%Maersk surcharge in Estonia
Market today in figures (CargoNice data)
The Orlen diesel price is 7,49 PLN/l, according to the reading from 16 September 2026. The average diesel price in the EU was 2 107,39 EUR/1000L on 7 September 2026, compared with 2 328,00 EUR/1000L in Germany and 1 982,04 EUR/1000L in Poland on the same day. The spot rate on the Poland→Germany lane remains at 2,27 EUR/km, according to data from 15 September 2026.
Compared with the previous reading, the EU diesel price increased by 68,24 EUR/1000L. Higher fuel costs combined with an unchanged Poland→Germany spot rate are putting further pressure on margins, especially for offers without automatic fuel indexation.
Oil pushes up the risk of higher diesel costs in Europe
Reuters reported on 15 September that crude oil loadings had been suspended at the Saudi export terminal of Yanbu on the Red Sea, while some crude deliveries scheduled for European buyers at the end of September had been cancelled. Brent ended the session up 3,07 USD, or 2,9%, at 108,75 USD per barrel. WTI rose by 4,44 USD, or 4,38%, to 105,83 USD per barrel. Source: Reuters / MarketScreener
The report also noted that attacks on energy infrastructure in Russia and Ukraine had driven US diesel futures and refining margins to record closes. This means the pressure is not limited to the oil market itself: it may quickly feed through into the cost of fuel used by road carriers and ferry operators.
For new offers, it is worth limiting the validity period of the fuel price and checking whether the indexation clause allows sudden cost changes to be passed on in practice. Particular scrutiny is required for spot transport orders, where the carrier purchases fuel after the rate has already been confirmed.
Maersk introduces inland surcharges in the Nordic and Baltic regions
Maersk is introducing a temporary Emergency Inland Fuel/Energy Surcharge for Store Door shipments in Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. The surcharge applies from 16 September and, according to the shipping line, reflects higher fuel costs linked to disruptions in supplies from the Middle East. Source: Maersk
The increase varies by country: 14% in Denmark, 12% in Sweden, 6% in Finland, 5% in Lithuania, 17% in Latvia and 20% in Estonia. The rate for Norway is 0%. Maersk has announced a weekly review of the surcharge levels; solutions based on electric trucks and rail remain outside this mechanism.
For European freight forwarders, it is important to separate the cost of the main carriage from pre-carriage and door-to-door delivery costs. The surcharge may appear in the calculation after the sea service has already been selected, so it must be monitored in both import and export quotations.
Higher cost of transporting Ukrainian rapeseed to Romania
The cost of road deliveries from Ukraine to Romanian ports increased by 10–20% over the past month, UkrAgroConsult reported on 15 September. Queues at grain intake facilities are also growing, increasing cost and operational risks for deliveries to Romanian ports. Source: UkrAgroConsult
According to the publication, October rail transport on the European-gauge route from the Ukrainian border to Germany was around 30% more expensive than in July and August. In the case of rapeseed, delivery to Constanța was quoted at 590–600 USD/t, amid growing queues at intake points.
This is not solely a matter of the road rate. Quotations should account for waiting time, terminal availability, the cost of alternative transhipment and the possibility of shifting part of the volume to rail. Comparing the current purchase with an August benchmark may result in an underestimate.
In brief
- In Italy, the Guardia di Finanza is investigating an alleged cross-border scheme in road haulage involving fictitious posting of workers and shell companies. The case involves 18 companies, 95 undeclared jobs and approximately 6 mln EUR in alleged tax evasion. Source: Informare
- The European Labour Authority held training in Bratislava from 14 to 16 September for approximately 60 officers from 25 EU countries and Norway. Topics included tachograph manipulation, driving and rest time rules, smart tachographs and cross-border enforcement. Source: ELA
- The TAPA EMEA Trucking Security Requirements 2026 standard entered into force on 15 September. The materials cover certification, vehicle inspections, subcontracting rules and guidance for drivers transporting high-value goods. Source: TAPA EMEA
Community voice: oil prices rise, Maersk adds surcharges, carriers count every eurocent
What the industry says · last 24 h- grupy/strony FB TSL · 68
- komentarze FB TSL · 27
- LinkedIn (wyszukiwania) · 71
- r/logistics, r/europe i in. · 500
- komentarze Reddit · 126
- Wykop #cenypaliw/#transport · 8
- Hacker News · 15
- YouTube (szukane+komentarze) · 20
The editorial team reviewed the past few days on Wykop, LinkedIn, Facebook (TSL industry groups and pages), Reddit and Hacker News in search of voices from freight forwarders, carriers, drivers and shippers from the European Union. The picture that emerges closely matches today’s article: rising diesel prices and further surcharges from ocean carriers are driving up road transport costs across Europe.
Diesel: "the fuel crisis the likes of which we have never seen before"
Fuel prices are back in full force on Wykop. Today, user kogi sounded the alarm: "Fill up to the brim and stock up in jerry cans while you still can. We are facing a fuel crisis the likes of which we have never seen before, with prices of PLN 10+". The comments under the post included the typically Wykop-style political bickering, but also a specific demand — Wodz_stalowa_pecina wrote bluntly: "they could reduce Orlen's margin". The day before, user mirko_anonim joked about the future of fuel prices in Poland, describing it as a time when "fuel prices will be going to the moon", to which 23kulpamens replied wearily: "I can't listen to these alarmists anymore, they freak out about everything, there's panic everywhere". Hard data has been behind this concern for months — industry association IRU wrote on LinkedIn that "Diesel prices in the EU rose by 26% between Q4 2025 and Q1 2026", with France and Germany pulling the EU average upward.
Maersk adds surcharges: Benelux, the Nordics, the Mediterranean
The exact issue described in today’s CargoNice article is taking on a life of its own on the LinkedIn profiles of ocean carriers and industry media. The Container News profile reported this week: "A.P. Moller - Maersk introduces emergency #UAE #surcharge and raises #Benelux #fuel #fees" — meaning that the fuel surcharge is also rising on the Benelux corridor, which is crucial for Polish freight forwarders. The same profile simultaneously reported another wave of charges: "A.P. Moller - Maersk introduces new #surcharges across #South #America and #Nordic region" and new Mediterranean surcharges: "A.P. Moller - Maersk introduces new #Mediterranean #peak #season #surcharges". India Seatrade News provided more detail on the carrier’s justification for the Nordic region: "Maersk has introduced new regional surcharges covering inland shipments in the Nordic region, citing higher fuel costs linked to disruptions in Middle East fuel supplies." For European freight forwarders, the key word is precisely "inland" — the surcharges do not remain at sea but are passed on to the land leg, directly into road transport cost calculations.
Freight rates: carriers count every eurocent
Polish transport groups on Facebook are engaged in a daily, highly specific bidding war over rates. Kasia Grządko offered this week: "€1.70 / KM — WE PAY FOR EVERY KILOMETRE, BOTH LOADED AND EMPTY", while Dawid Krogulewski advertised German transport orders: "€1.28/KM + SURCHARGES + BONUSES OF €300–850 [...] RATES OF UP TO €2.50/KM POSSIBLE". Yesterday (15 September), the TSL group also featured Konrad Bożyk offering a Poland–Sweden/Finland route: "Ongoing cooperation/fixed routes [...] Reliable payer, freight forwarder support 24/7, ferries on our side". Against the backdrop of these advertisements, the analysis by freight forwarder Piotr Marynowski on LinkedIn is interesting; he writes about a reversal of the trend: "The situation in the European road transport market has changed noticeably in recent months [...] Freight rates have increased, particularly on the spot market, while the availability of trucks on many routes has become more limited." Under his post, Ibrahim Njuguna commented briefly: "We are building a pipeline to solve this. Let's connect."
Drivers: not enough people behind the wheel or spaces in truck parks
The driver shortage comes up in every industry review. Journalist Raphael Minder recalled on LinkedIn: "Poland has the EU's largest fleet of trucks, but also a critical shortage of drivers. The number of unfilled truck driver positions in the EU has more than doubled in two years to reach 502,000 in 2025." Recruiter Robert James Hinkley described a small but important regulatory change: "a legally obtained EU driving licence with Code 70 can, under certain conditions, be recognised in Germany even if the original licence came from a third country", opening the door for Germany to drivers from countries including India and Zimbabwe. In the comments under the post, Robert Renyi tempered the enthusiasm: "In my humble experience, it was always like this. If you can provide an evidence of this, converting the license is easy." Even when a driver is already behind the wheel, finding an ordinary place to take a rest period can be a problem — the Klub Managerów Transportu group described a DEKRA report: "43% of drivers say that finding a place for a night’s rest usually takes them 30–60 minutes [...] Almost two-thirds of drivers admitted that they occasionally have to stop on exit lanes, entry lanes or even emergency lanes", adding that the situation is worst in Germany.
German groupage under pressure from fuel and wages
The Trans Info - transport, trucking & logistics news page on Facebook summed up the situation in the German groupage segment in one sentence: "Fuel and wages are hitting German groupage. Shipment costs are rising again". A bitterly ironic comment appeared under the post from Lori Jimn: "And that groupage is DHL 🤣🤣🤣". The same profile also reported the return of a Polish truck brand under a German badge — Trans.INFO on its German page wrote: "MAN belebt polnische Lkw-Marke neu" (MAN revives Polish truck brand), which Roland Simmet commented on jokingly: "In camouflage? Fits perfectly with MAN/VW — subsidiary group."
LNG versus diesel: carriers remain sceptical despite lower costs
When diesel prices rise, alternative fuels should gain supporters — but the community’s reaction is often cool. The Trans Info - transport, trucking & logistics news page described a Polish carrier’s test: "A Polish carrier took delivery of 50 LNG tractor units. The test showed a 31.5% lower cost per kilometre". The comments under the post are nevertheless full of reservations — Sławek Narloch predicts "zero resale value later", Adam Jeżyszek says briefly "And then the crying starts", while Andrzej Polej complains about the daily operational inconvenience: "And a daily break at the station is a torment for the driver ;)". Until diesel and LNG prices stabilise, this calculation will remain risky for fleets.
The Balkans block borders, the West tightens the rules
Uncertainty on EU transport corridors is not limited to fuel prices. Trans Info Poland warned this week: "Balkan carriers will block crossings with the EU again. A difficult test for supply chains". Meanwhile, transit rules are changing in Austria — the German-language Trans.INFO page reported: "Keine Burgenland-Maut - dafür kommen strengere Transitregeln & neue Fahrverbote" (no Burgenland road toll, but stricter transit rules and new driving bans). In Belgium, meanwhile, the authorities at the Port of Antwerp are trying to ease congestion in a different way — the Hungarian Trans.INFO page reported: "Hatalmas támogatást kapott Antwerpen arra, hogy a kamionforgalom egy részét éjszakára ütemezze át" (Antwerp has received substantial funding to shift part of truck traffic to the night).
Sentiment of the day
Fatigue and dark humour dominate — fuel prices are now discussed almost ironically on Wykop, while the question "who is still making money here?" is appearing increasingly often in industry groups on Facebook. At the same time, some carriers and analysts (Piotr Marynowski, DISCORDIA) are saying plainly that rising spot rates are the first sign in a long time that the market is beginning to reflect actual costs rather than mere price pressure. Uncertainty nevertheless hangs over the whole picture: Maersk’s surcharges are spreading from the ocean to the land, the Balkan borders are once again threatening blockades, and the shortage of drivers and parking spaces remains a chronic problem for which no one has a quick solution.
Sources unavailable today: trucker-forum.at, forum.soferdetir.ro, forotransportistas.es, foros24h.com, planet-truck.fr.
Quotes come from public discussions in the industry community. Original spelling has been preserved.