Middle East Crisis: Situation Updates

• UAE – All ports operational
  • Khor Fakkan Port not accepting any containers for Exports neither empties nor laden to manage the terminal capacity
  • 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)
• Kuwait
  • Shuwaikh - Operational,
  • Shuaiba - Partially operational
• Saudi Ports – Operational
• Umm Qasr – Operational
• Hamad – Operational
• Bahrain – Operations Suspended on 12^th & 13^th March
• Oman
  • Sohar - Operational
  • Salalah – Operations Suspended after incident on 11^th March
  • Duqm - Operational
• Beirut – Operational
• Aqaba – Operational

Important Note:

• Green Corridor activated between Dubai and the Port of Oman for shipments transferred through land routes
• Hormuz Strait is still closed and hence most ports in the Arabian Gulf though operational are not receiving vessels, and the port operations are limited to on the ground container movements
• So far Khor Fakkan, Sohar and Jeddah are coming out are the three main Gateways into the Upper Gulf depending upon the final POL or POD outside M.E
• DP World is offering Bonded Truck service from Khor Fakkan and Fujairah to Jebel Ali Port
  • Final clearance at Jebel Ali Port
  • Service applicable for both local Import and Free Zone shipments
  • Similar service also provided by other vendors to Sharjah & Abu Dhabi Port
• Similar service also being offered to Sharjah & Abu Dhabi

Government of India has also issued a SOP to major Indian ports to mitigate the impact through collaborative steps, concessions and prioritization of Middle East shipments

• 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
• For diversions to ports outside the M.E, carriers are giving the option of COD at an additional cost
• There will continue to be an increase of these offloads, and they are being monitored closely by the Ops teams
• Various carriers have announced they will end journeys early, omit ports or return back

• HMM announces Declaration of Deviation for shipments bound to Middle East, and all shipments are imposed with an additional cost of $1000/Container
• Carriers have ships trapped within the Arabian Gulf and they are working on clearing the cargo on-board them and then deploying at least some of these Vsls as shuttle for Intra-Gulf movements, taking away the need for trucking solutions all the way to countries like KW/BH/QA/IQ and thereby easing the pressure on Truck availability which is a huge concern along with border delays and backlogs
• Declaration of Deviation made by HMM for all vessels enroute to the M.E and an additional Deviation cost of $1,000/Container
• Maersk also now accepting Empty returns only at Salalah, Sohar & Jeddah
• MSC declared End of Voyage for exports from Arabian & Persian Gulf that couldn’t leave the Hormuz Strait before the start of the conflict
• MSC has stopped booking acceptance for Gulf on their Falcon service until further notice
• On 3^rd March MSC declared End of Voyage for all shipments located ashore or at Sea and destined for the Arabian Gulf. Shipments will be diverted to another port deemed safe subject to $800/Container mandatory charge and any other charges that may arise
• Solution are being offered from Asia to Iraq via the eastern ports of Turkey like Mersin and Iskenderun
• COSCO all bookings to/from Upper Gulf except Oman, Jeddah, Fujairah & Khor Fakkan have been suspended
• Evergreen suspends all bookings to/from the Middle East except of Jeddah and Omani ports
• YML acceptance of all new bookings to Arabian Gulf ports remains suspended
• CMA CGM stopped acceptance to reefer & DG bookings
• CMA CGM has stopped accepting any bookings to/from BH, KW, IQ, QA, KSA (except JED, KAP) and AE (except KLF & FUJ)
• CMA CGM has activated Clause 10 with regards to the diversion of cargo on Vsls CMA CGM Nevada and CMA CGM Don Pascuale, giving cargo owners 7 days to decide on the fate of their cargo
• CMA service suspended passage through the Suez Canal, now halted until further notice, vessels being rerouted via the Cape of Good Hope
• Effective immediately Maersk has suspended all reefer, dangerous / special cargo acceptance in and out of UAE, Oman, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia until further notice
• Maersk has suspended M.E related services FM1 and ME11. While ME1 service from Europe is no longer calling Jebel Ali port. Hapag Lloyd also impacted by this change
• Maersk has also suspended all new bookings between the India Subcontinent (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka) and the Upper Gulf markets of UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Iraq, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia (Dammam and Jubail only), exceptions will be made for critical foodstuff, pharma and other essential goods
• Maersk has also suspended all DG cargo movement to/from Isreal, rest remains open
• Main liners are still accepting bookings from Europe & Americas Eastbound to the Red Sea
• Gemini and Maersk standalone services will not route via the canal as previously announced.
• SeaLead continues to transit via Bab Al Mandab, along with other carriers like PIL, ESL etc
• All carriers have now officially halted/suspended any transit via Hormuz Strait due to security reasons and are not accepting any bookings to/from or via the Arabian Gulf Ports

• 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.

Vessels Attacked In Arabian Gulf / Strait Of Hormuz

• MKD Vyom - Tanker
• Skylight - Tanker
• Athe Nova - Tanker
• MT Hercules Star - Tanker
• Ocean Electra (Star Electra) - Tanker
• Sea La Donna - Tanker
• Safeen Prestige - Container
• LCT Ayeh - Tanker
• Stena Imperative - Tanker
• Libra Trader – Tanker
• Musaffah 2 - Tanker
• Sonangol Namibe – Tanker
• Prima - Tanker
• MSC Grace – Container
• Gold Oak – Bulk
• Pelagia - Bulk
• Unknown Vsl – Tugboat
• Mayuree Naree – Bulk
• ONE Majesty – Container
• Star Gwyneth – Bulk
• Safeesa Vishnu – Tanker
• Zefyros – Tanker
• Source Blessing – Container

• Spot rates are rising, GRIs, War Risk, EFS and other related surcharges are being applied across the region and beyond
• Bunker cost are creeping up with the closure of the strait oil prices will increase and the bunker eventually as a result
• Anticipate congestion in Gulf ports and Asian transshipment hubs depending on rerouting of current cargo
• Equipment imbalance likely, with shortages of empties at a later stage within the region

• Closed airspaces: Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Kuwait, Qatar, Syria, Yemen
• Open airspace in the region:  Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Lebanon, Oman 

• Oman / MCT – operational
• UAE / DWC, DXB, AUH – limited operations only, expected to reopen
• Qatar / DOH – not operational, expected to reopen
• Saudi Arabia –airports operational
• Bahrain – not operational 

• Middle Eastern Carriers will have to clear backlogs before accepting new bookings
• Air carriers have restricted operations to Middle East destinations, capacity constraints 

• 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 

• Airspace and airport closures led to significant impact on global airfreight capacity
• Short to mid term rate increases on all sectors to/from Middle East will see increases
• Indirect impact on other global network lanes unavoidable due to limitation of available capacity 

• 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

How is the Strait of Hormuz closure affecting global ocean freight? 

No commercial vessels can pass, causing diversions, fuel shortages, rising surcharges, and global knock-on delays.

Why are vessels being rerouted to ports like Khorf akkan, Sohar, and Jeddah? 

These ports remain operational and serve as alternative discharge points as upper Gulf ports face closures and attacks.

Why are containers being discharged in unexpected ports such as India or Europe? 

Shipping lines are redirecting vessels for safety, leading to offloading at the nearest safe port even far from the intended destination.

Is the Suez Canal affected? 

Indirectly—carriers are rerouting via South Africa due to Middle East risks, increasing transit times and costs.

What extra costs should customers expect for ocean freight? 

War risk surcharges, fuel surcharges, and emergency contingency charges are increasing due to operational risks.

Are reefer containers being prioritized? 

Yes—essential perishables and pharma are prioritized, though rerouting may still require rebooking and port changes.

Can reefer containers in Abu Dhabi be moved by road to resume their route? 

Yes, if carriers approve; cargo may be moved to Sohar or Jeddah to continue onward shipping.

Are DG (dangerous goods) shipments still accepted by sea? 

Some carriers limit DG acceptance; availability varies by port and vessel diversion impact.

Will South America–Middle East or India–Brazil ocean routes be impacted? 

Yes—global rotations are disrupted, impacting transit times and costs even on non-Gulf routes.

How long should customers buffer for transit times?

Expect significant delays; additional buffering of several weeks is advised depending on routing.

How are airlines operating in the region? 

UAE carriers operate at ~50% capacity while Riyadh, Oman, and Qatar serve as main alternative hubs.

Is air freight from Israel operating? 

Yes, via Cyprus and limited freighter operations; delays expected.

Are shipments from Germany, the US, or China to Dubai still moving? 

Yes—via Riyadh/Oman hubs with trucking into Dubai where required.

Are temperature-controlled shipments available into the Gulf? 

Yes—carriers and DHL prioritize pharma and perishables, though capacity is tight.

Are passenger and cargo flights to Brazil from the Middle East operating? 

They operate through adjusted routings using regional hubs; schedules remain volatile.

What extra costs apply to air freight? 

Fuel surcharges and war risk-related charges are increasing across global lanes.

Is bonded movement from Khorf akkan to Jebel Ali available? 

Yes—bonded corridors are active with customs simplifications across GCC states.

Is road freight to Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar still functioning? 

Yes—all borders remain open, though higher demand may cause congestion.

Can DHL route freight via the Saudi–Egypt landbridge? 

Yes—the intermodal solution via Alexandria and Saudi remains operational.

Is it feasible to move FTL from Turkey to the UAE by road? 

Yes—though costs, risks, and transit times are higher than normal due to regional instability.