Container shipping company Maersk Line, a unit of A.P. Moller-Maersk, plans to increase freight rates on main routes from ports in Asia to ports in northern Europe with effect from May 1.

Rates will be raised by US$550 per TEU and $1,100 per FEU, the shipping company wrote in a letter to clients.

According to the Shanghai Containerized Freight Index, rates from Asia to Europe stood at $1,156 last week.