Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The rising cost of doing business during the Israeli-US war has arrived on American Samoa shores.

Last Friday, March 13, 2026, Island Cargo Support, a business that handles commercial & personal shipping and delivering of cargo in the territory recently sent to its business customers notice of an Emergency Bunker Surcharge (EBS). It states that the EBS will affect shipments from the West Coast to the Pacific Islands, Australia, and New Zealand.

It continues, explaining that “This adjustment is necessary due to the ongoing situation in the Middle East and the sudden increase in fuel costs.

“Fuel is one of the largest operating expenses for vessels. When significant spikes occur, carriers implement an Emergency Bunker Surcharge rather than renegotiating long-term freight rates.”

The Bunker Adjustment PaFactor is listed for a 20’ and 40’ containers, $1,185 and $2, 370 respectively.

This rate increase will apply to all freight departing on or after April 13, 2025.

ICS states that “We understand the impact that rate adjustments can have on your business, and we have worked diligently to keep these increases to a minimum.”

Samoa News understands increases at the gas pump have not started yet, locally — but is expected to hit in April, if not by the last week of March.