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 to 10 days.
• 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 10 days for berthing
  • 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
  • Khor Fakkan port opens a marshalling yard approx. 8Kms from the port to manage congestion at the port requiring mandatory detour to this yard before proceeding to the terminal for container pickup
• Kuwait
  • Shuwaikh - Operational,
  • Shuaiba - Partially operational
• Saudi Ports – Operational
• Umm Qasr – Operational
• Hamad – Operational
• Bahrain – Partially Operational
• Oman
  • Sohar - Operational
  • Salalah – Partially Operational
  • Duqm – Operational
• 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

Are food/perishables allowed through the Strait of Hormuz? 

The Strait remains functionally closed; no exceptions for food or perishables were announced.

Is Khor Fakkan accepting reefer bookings from Europe? 

Khor Fakkan is congested with 10+ day delays; reefer acceptance depends on carrier availability.

Can containers offloaded in Mundra be intercepted and re-routed? 

Yes; DHL can assist with recovery, rebooking, and onward movement.

When will DG sea freight to Bahrain resume? 

Carriers restrict DG acceptance; options via Jeddah may be possible case-by-case.

Why fuel surcharges despite index contracts? 

Carriers apply emergency bunker surcharges due to extreme fuel volatility.

Which airports accept pharma service? 

A new temperature-controlled charter from Europe to Jeddah supports GCC-wide pharma distribution.

Are you able to airfreight DG into Dubai? 

Yes, subject to class and aircraft type; many DG items can move on passenger flights.

Is DHL shipping from Europe to UAE? Lead times? 

Yes; flights route into Riyadh or Muscat with onward trucking; transit depends on road congestion.

How does EU–Israel freight move?

Shipments move via Cyprus and then by sea to Haifa, with added flights planned.

What is pallet capacity for the new Jeddah charter? 

The 747 charter handles 200+ Euro pallets depending on configuration.

Can DHL provide flatbeds and gensets for KSA–GCC? 

Capacity exists but is limited; gensets are scarce across borders.

Is special war-risk insurance available for road transit? 

DHL cargo insurance covers multimodal moves including war risk.

Expected transit time Jeddah → Dubai by road? 

Typically 8–11 days depending on customs and weather delays.

How does cargo move from Riyadh to UAE for DE/CZ imports? 

Shipments fly into Riyadh then move by road into UAE including RAK.

Do you offer LTL or only dedicated trucks? 

DHL supports LTL through the GCC express road network.

What about MAKASA consignments? 

These can be evaluated depending on routing and customs requirements.

Is road freight from UAE to GCC operational?

 Yes, with increased congestion and rising rates.

Can DG be trucked temperature-controlled Europe→Dubai? 

Yes, via Turkey, subject to permits and transit approvals.

Is a Sharjah–Dammam corridor developing? 

Ports and inland hubs are increasingly linked via feeders and road connections.

General outlook on rates and transit times? 

Conditions remain volatile; improvements are possible but uncertain.