Ocean spot freight rates increased by double digits this week as ocean carriers tack on more emergency fuel surcharges and begin setting up peak season surcharges, even as China intensifies regulatory scrutiny over carriers’ freight rate transparency and filing practices. The sourcing superpower’s Ministry of Transport has levied fines and formal warnings against nine container shipping giants including Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), CMA CGM, Hapag-Lloyd, Ocean Network Express (ONE), Evergreen, Wan Hai Lines, SM Line, Emirates Shipping and TS Lines, as well as seven other ocean freight intermediaries. Those warnings are not directly related to current Iran war-driven prices, as they are based on inspections that took place at major Chinese ports Ningbo, Guangzhou and Qingdao from August to November last year. But China sees a transparency issue in the way the rates are imposed, asserting that the carriers are violating filing regulations.…