GRI vs peak season surcharge: a GRI raises the base rate on a lane; a peak season surcharge is a separate, temporary charge added on top when demand for space is high.
What is a General Rate Increase (GRI)?
A general rate increase (GRI) is an increase to a carrier's base freight rates across a whole trade lane, or a large part of one, from a stated date. It changes the ocean rate itself, unlike surcharges such as BAF or a peak season surcharge, which are added on top.
How carriers announce a GRI
Carriers post rate announcements and customer advisories naming the trade, the container types, the amount and the effective date, and file the change in their tariffs. In US trades the timing is regulated:
- Every common carrier, including every NVOCC, must keep its rates, charges and rules in a tariff open to public inspection (46 CFR 520.3)
- A new rate, or a change that increases the cost to a shipper, cannot take effect earlier than 30 calendar days after publication; a decrease can take effect on publication (46 CFR 520.8)
That is why US-trade announcements come at least a month ahead of the effective date.
Tariff rates, contracts and NRAs
A GRI changes tariff rates. Cargo moving under a service contract filed with the FMC, or under an NVOCC negotiated rate arrangement (NRA), is priced by that agreement's terms, including whether and how increases apply. An NRA must be agreed in writing before the NVOCC receives the cargo, and any amendment applies only to shipments not yet received (46 CFR 532.5).
Which date sets the rate
The tariff or contract defines the reference date that decides whether a GRI applies to your container: the sailing date, the date the container gates in at the terminal, or another date. Maersk's September 2026 peak season surcharge notice for India to the US, for example, uses the last container's gate-in date for US (FMC) trades. Ask which date your quote uses before you plan the cargo-ready date around an announced GRI.
Common mistakes
- Accepting a quote without a validity date: it should say whether it holds through a date or is subject to GRIs
- Gating in a container the day after the GRI takes effect when the rate is set by gate-in
- Comparing quotes issued before and after a GRI announcement as if they covered the same sailing
Our ocean freight quotes state their validity and which surcharges are included, and vessel schedules help you pick a sailing before an increase.
Related terms
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