Middle East Crisis: Situation Updates

• Situation across the Middle East remains highly dynamic, driven by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, multiple vessel attacks, and widespread carrier suspensions.
• All major carriers have now halted bookings to/from or via Arabian Gulf ports, and surcharges continue to escalate.
• Port operations are technically open in most locations but are functionally constrained due to the lack of vessel calls, congestion, and yard‑space limitations, congestions building up.
• DGF Ops, Trade, and Crisis Calls remain activated with full vessel and shipment visibility, exception handling, and daily cross‑functional alignment.

• UAE – All ports operational
  • Khor Fakkan Port not accepting any containers for Exports neither empties nor laden to manage the terminal capacity
  • Reports of congestion building up and waiting times possibly going up to 7-10 days
  • Gulftainer applies an Emergency Operational Recovery Surcharge of $100/Container, effective 15^th March 13
    • This surcharge applies to container handling services performed at Khor Fakkan Commercial Terminal (KCT)
  • For containers arriving via Khor Fakkan POD, the same can be booked until Sajaa or Mileeha ICDs thereby helping to avoid truck congestion at the port
  • Fujairah Port only container Terminal operational
• Kuwait
  • Shuwaikh – Terminal attacked on 27^th March
  • Shuaiba - Partially operational
• Saudi Ports – Operational
• Umm Qasr – Operational
• Hamad – Operational
• Bahrain – Partially Operational
• Oman
  • Sohar – Operational
    • Laden containers can only be gated in 5 days prior to vessel ETA
    • IMDG, OOG and BBK cargo is subject to prior approval for both import and export
    • No pre-cooling and container washing services available
    • Max. number of container moves per vessels limited to 3,000 TEUs
  • Salalah – Partially Operational, Liquid Terminal operations suspended
  • Duqm – Operational, but DG shipments not allowed
• Beirut – Operational
• Aqaba – Operational

Across all major liners:

• Full suspension of bookings to/from Arabian Gulf ports; all carriers have now officially stopped accepting any services via Hormuz.
• Service omissions, early voyage terminations, diversions, and Cape of Good Hope rerouting widely in effect.
• Reefer, DG, and Special Cargo restrictions are now industry‑wide.

Examples:

• Maersk accepting only bookings up to Sohar & Khor Fakkan
• Maersk still only accepting Empty Return at Salalah, Jeddah and Sohar
• MSC: EoV declared for all Gulf‑bound shipments (3 March). Diversion & mandatory USD 800/container surcharge applied. Numerous emergency surcharges active.
• COSCO, Evergreen, YML: Broad suspensions to Upper Gulf.
• CMA CGM: Broad booking halt; Clause 10 activated on multiple vessels; Suez routings suspended.
• Maersk: Wide‑scale suspension of Gulf & ISC lanes; reefer/DG stops; FM1/ME11 suspended; acceptance only for essential cargo.
• Hapag-Lloyd: No Gulf bookings except Jeddah.
• SeaLead: Continues via Bab al Mandab (isolated case).

• No information or declarations from Carriers

• Surcharges & Cost Implications: As the situation in the Middle East continues to evolve, carriers may introduce additional charges to compensate for increased operational and security‑related risks. These include, but are not limited to, the following:
• War Risk Surcharge: Given the heightened regional security environment, carriers and insurers may introduce or adjust war‑risk premiums. These may apply to cargo already in transit as well as to new and future bookings.
• Emergency Surcharge (ES): At least one major carrier has announced an Emergency Conflict Surcharge, and additional carriers may implement similar measures depending on how operational conditions develop.
• Bunker Adjustment Charge (BUC): With the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and suspended transits through the Bab Al Mandab Strait, many vessels are now rerouting via significantly longer alternatives, including the Cape of Good Hope. Rising oil prices driven by these disruptions are expected to push global bunker costs upward, and carriers are likely to pass on these additional fuel‑related expenses.

• MSC arranging vessel connections to Gulf for containers discharged in India and Sri Lanka  
• Dwell times increasing across impacted ports (up to 10 days); Ops teams monitoring in real time.
• Carriers issuing early voyage terminations, port omissions, return voyages and forced diversions.
• Extended or special F/T do not apply any longer on any of the diverted shipments, and will be changed to either standard or zero days
• F/T removal though applies to all diverted shipments, but we see that for shipments diverted to Khor Fakkan this needs to be strictly followed as the Terminal is taking these steps to avoid the buildup of any congestion 

• Spot rates increasing sharply, with multiple GRIs in effect.
• Rising oil prices expected to elevate bunker levels.
• Port & transshipment congestion likely in Gulf and Asian hubs as re-routings intensify.
• Equipment imbalance emerging due to suspended flows and empty‑return bottlenecks.
• Freight tariffs (M‑level) centrally expired for MEA & Israel due to market volatility.

• Due to foreseeable impact on jet fuel price, carriers started to introduce FSC increases
• Indirect impact: Routing changes on EU-AP and AP-EU lanes lead to increased operating cost
• Alternative routings of GCC bound shipments will attract additional lead times and rate adjustments 

• Rates adjustments: Airfreight rates to Middle East region have been suspended, rate levels to other regions will be updated on regular basis including temporary adders
• Airfreight rate originating from Europe, Asia and Americas will be subject to temporary adders on lane level
• Fuel surcharges subject to increase

• UAE customs is operational and all is working as of now

• Customs Operational in all ports

• Kuwait customs is operational and all ports are functioning - But airspace is closed

• Hamad International Airport: Customs operational in all ports
• Hamad Port: Customs operational in all ports
• Abu Samra Border: Customs operational in all ports

• Bahrain Airport Services:  no operation at airport and sea port today 
• Khalifa Bin Salman Port:  no operation at airport and sea port today 
• King Fahad Causeway:  no operation at airport and sea port today 

• Airport: 
  • customs operational in all ports
• Seaport:
  • Apart from Salalah port, Customs operational 

• BGW, EBL and BSR Airpots / UQ: Iraq customs is operational, but all flights still suspended
• IKB border with Turkey: Iraq customs is operational, but all flights still suspended

Is the Red Sea routing via Colombo–Mundra–Jeddah really operating? 

Yes, DHL confirmed that Red Sea routings are available via Bab‑al‑Mandab when required; alternatives via Cape of Good Hope are used only when necessary.

Can flat‑rack cargo move from Jeddah to the UAE? 

Yes. If height permits, it can move on flatbed; if not, it can be cross‑loaded to low‑bed trailers, with Saudi allowing transit clearance.

Can DG imports/exports move via KSA/Oman ports? 

Yes—Sohar accepts DG with prior approval; Khorfakkan currently does not accept DG for new bookings; Jeddah accepts DG subject to class review.

Are carriers paying Iran to pass the Strait? 

No confirmation. No commercial carriers are using the strait as of now.

How can time‑sensitive Dammam cargo redirected to Oman be handled?

DHL can arrange transit clearance in Oman and on‑forwarding to Dammam within 6–7 days once the container is released.

Is marine insurance available for diverted cargo? 

DHL’s cargo insurance covers intermodal moves—including road legs and war‑risk—end‑to‑end.

Can DG be handled in Khor Fakkan? 

Not for new bookings—Khorfakkan restricts DG; Sohar accepts DG with approvals.

Are DHL flights operating to Bahrain? 

No. Bahrain airport remains closed with no indication of reopening soon.

Do flights to Jeddah require health authority approval?

Only if the final destination requires it; transit cargo follows the rules of the receiving GCC country.

Is there truth to flight cancellations due to jet‑fuel shortages? 

Jet‑fuel availability is tight and monitored closely, but no blanket cancellations were announced.

What is DHL’s plan for inbound air freight to UAE? 

Shipments route into Riyadh or Muscat and truck into UAE; delays are currently 24–48 hours for main metros.

Will flights between EU and Southeast Asia be restricted further? 

Southeast Asia flows are already affected; DHL is running additional flights from Asia–EU to support capacity.

What are the alternatives if flat‑rack cannot move in‑bond? 

Flatbeds or low‑beds can move cargo with Saudi permitting transit clearance even after cross‑loading.

Can shipments redirected to Oman be expedited?

 Yes—DHL handles transit documentation and onward trucking to GCC destinations.

Is the Turkey–GCC landbridge becoming available? 

Trials are underway; the solution will be offered once testing is complete.

How long will the current situation continue? 

Even if resolved soon, it will take months to unwind port backlogs, container misplacements, and routing congestion.