ONE India GRI September 2026 is now effective for the dry-cargo trade lanes listed in Ocean Network Express Advisory 96. The carrier’s published increase applies from September 5, but the amount is not the same for every North America-to-India shipment and it should not be mistaken for the total ocean-freight price.
Direct answer: for U.S. Pacific Coast, U.S. Gulf Coast and Vancouver origins to all India ports, ONE lists a General Rate Increase of $160 per 20-foot container and $200 per 40/45-foot container. For U.S. Atlantic ports and Halifax to Nhava Sheva or Mundra, ONE lists $680 per 20-foot and $850 per 40/45-foot. These are GRI increments, not complete freight quotations, and published tariff or contract exclusions can change booking-level applicability.
ONE India GRI September 2026: which route and container amount applies?
The first decision is to identify the shipment’s origin group. ONE’s advisory does not use one flat India-bound increase for every North American port.
| Origin group | India destination | 20-foot container | 40/45-foot container |
|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. Pacific Coast, U.S. Gulf Coast, Vancouver BC | All India ports of discharge | +$160 | +$200 |
| U.S. Atlantic ports, Halifax | Nhava Sheva and Mundra | +$680 | +$850 |
ONE also states that inland points are included within the published POL and POD scope. The route table therefore has to be read together with the carrier’s tariff and booking terms rather than as a simple port-to-port consumer price list.
Do not treat $160, $200, $680 or $850 as the total freight price
The published figures are the General Rate Increase amounts. They are additions to an applicable underlying rate, not a statement that a shipment from Halifax to Mundra now costs $850 in total.
A final freight quotation can contain the base ocean rate plus other applicable charges, contract terms and commercial adjustments. TPS therefore does not convert the GRI table into a final invoice estimate.
How to check whether the ONE GRI applies to your booking
The September 5 advisory is specific to Ocean Network Express. Do not apply these amounts automatically to another carrier.
The reviewed advisory is for dry cargo and states that it covers all dry commodities within the listed scope. It does not establish the same GRI for reefer cargo.
Determine whether the shipment originates from the U.S. Pacific Coast, U.S. Gulf Coast or Vancouver, or from a U.S. Atlantic port or Halifax.
The Pacific/Gulf/Vancouver row applies to all India ports listed within the advisory scope. The Atlantic/Halifax row is specifically limited to Nhava Sheva and Mundra.
Use the 20-foot rate for a 20-foot container and the 40/45-foot rate for the equipment covered by that column.
Review whether the booking falls into one of ONE’s stated tariff exclusions or has a service-contract or Rate Filing Agreement exemption.
Use the advisory to identify the published GRI increment, then confirm the actual applicable quotation with ONE or the contracted freight forwarder.
Which published rates are excluded?
ONE’s advisory identifies several important exclusions. It says the GRI does not apply to tariff cargo NOS rates. It also excludes tariff rates filed with an expiry date within 31 days of September 5.
The advisory further states that Rate Filing Agreement and Service Contract rates are subject to the GRI unless they are specifically exempted. That means a shipper should not assume that having a service contract automatically removes the increase.
Does a quote issued before September 5 automatically escape the GRI?
No universal pre-September-5 quote exemption was established in the reviewed advisory. The commercial result depends on the rate or contract governing the booking and the specific exclusions applicable to that rate.
If an older quotation and a new carrier or forwarder quotation differ, the relevant question is not only when the quote was issued. Ask which tariff, Rate Filing Agreement, Service Contract or other rate basis controls the booking and whether a published exemption applies.
Are all North American origins covered?
No. ONE specifically excludes exports originating from Hawaii, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam and Saipan from this advisory.
This is another reason not to describe the notice simply as a blanket ‘USA and Canada to India’ increase without preserving its exclusions.
Does the Atlantic and Halifax increase apply to every India port?
No. Under the published table, the higher $680 per 20-foot and $850 per 40/45-foot amounts are tied to U.S. Atlantic ports and Halifax moving to Nhava Sheva and Mundra.
The advisory does not support extending those figures to every India port of discharge.
What if your freight forwarder’s increase does not match the ONE table?
A difference does not, by itself, prove the quotation is wrong. A forwarder’s commercial rate can depend on the underlying ONE rate, contract terms, exemptions and other charges not represented by the GRI table.
Ask the carrier or contracted forwarder to identify the rate basis being used and whether the September 5 GRI is included. If the amount differs from the published increment, request an explanation of the applicable tariff, contract or additional charge rather than assuming the GRI table is the complete invoice.
Is this a market-wide India freight-rate increase?
No. The evidence reviewed for this article establishes a ONE-specific General Rate Increase on specified North America-to-India dry-cargo lanes.
It does not establish that every ocean carrier increased India-bound freight by the same amount, nor does it prove that current spot prices across the market moved by the same percentage or dollar value.
What should importers and freight forwarders check before approving a quote?
- Carrier: confirm the rate is for ONE.
- Cargo: confirm the shipment falls within the dry-cargo scope.
- Origin: identify the correct U.S. or Canadian origin group.
- Destination: check whether the India POD matches the relevant row.
- Equipment: confirm 20-foot versus 40/45-foot equipment.
- Rate basis: determine whether a tariff, RFA or Service Contract controls.
- Exclusion: check whether a published or specific contractual exemption applies.
- Commercial confirmation: verify the final total freight quotation rather than treating the GRI increment as the invoice total.
What remains uncertain at booking level?
The carrier advisory does not establish the commercial outcome for every individual customer. TPS has not reviewed a reader’s service contract, booking confirmation, negotiated rate or invoice.
Customer-specific exemptions, negotiated waivers, spot-rate pass-through and later commercial amendments remain booking-level questions that should be confirmed with ONE or the contracted freight forwarder.
Verification and limitations
CONFIRMED: ONE Advisory 96 is dated August 4, 2026 and states a September 5 effective date for the listed dry-cargo GRI.
CONFIRMED: the Pacific Coast, Gulf Coast and Vancouver row lists +$160 for 20-foot equipment and +$200 for 40/45-foot equipment to all India ports within scope.
CONFIRMED: the U.S. Atlantic and Halifax row lists +$680 for 20-foot equipment and +$850 for 40/45-foot equipment to Nhava Sheva and Mundra.
CONFIRMED: ONE publishes tariff and geographic exclusions and states that Rate Filing Agreement and Service Contract rates are subject to the GRI unless specifically exempted.
UNRESOLVED AT CUSTOMER LEVEL: the final applicability to an individual booking, negotiated exemption, current spot-rate pass-through and final invoiced amount cannot be determined from the carrier advisory alone.
