Due to the dry season, the water level along the Amazon River’s bed has dropped dramatically. This draft restriction directly impacts the maximum cargo capacity ships can travel through the river, limiting shipments to and from Manaus. Given the context, Mercosul Line informed that it will apply a new temporary fee (a “drought tax) on all shipments as follows: Shipments TO Manaus (Northbound): BRL 1,300 per TEU. Shipments FROM Manaus (Southbound): BRL 800 per TEU. According to the company, if the water level along the Amazon River’s bed rises, rate collection may be delayed. The fee will come into effect as of October 12, 2022, considering the estimated departure of ships as shown in the table below:
Source: Datamar News