Middle East Crisis: Freight and Supply Chain Update (as of 9 March 2026)
Escalating tensions in the Middle East intensified over the weekend as United States and Israel launched new waves of airstrikes across Iran, reportedly targeting several strategic locations including oil depots. The disruption to regional energy supplies has pushed global oil prices to their highest levels since the COVID-19 pandemic period in 2022, creating growing cost pressures for businesses and consumers worldwide
As a result, fuel surcharges across the freight industry remain highly volatile and are trending upward, with both sea and air freight rates expected to rise significantly, potentially increasing by at least 50% in the coming days.
Maritime disruption in the Gulf and beyond
Commercial shipping near the Strait of Hormuz and across the wider Gulf region has been severely affected by escalating military activity and security incidents. One high‑profile event was the attack on the US‑flagged tanker Stena Imperative while it was berthed in Bahrain, which killed one worker and injured others and has further heightened risk perceptions in the area.
Industry and government advisories describe a sharp reduction in vessel movements and significant clustering of ships in and around the Strait of Hormuz as operators reassess transit plans. Although some traffic continues under heightened security measures, many major carriers have paused or diverted sailings that would normally pass through Hormuz and the Red Sea–Suez corridor, instead routing via the Cape of Good Hope and adding roughly 10–14 days to typical Asia–Europe and Middle East–Europe journeys.
Large numbers of container vessels are currently stuck in or around the Persian Gulf and unable to follow their planned schedules. External estimates indicate that this immobilised tonnage, together with wider schedule disruptions, affects a meaningful share of the global container fleet and is contributing to congestion at alternative hubs and transhipment ports.
Leading carriers, including Maersk, have announced temporary suspensions or rerouting of services that would normally cross high‑risk chokepoints such as the Strait of Hormuz, the Gulf of Oman, and parts of the Red Sea. These measures aim to protect crew and assets but are also constraining capacity and reliability on key east–west trades, especially for cargo to and from the Gulf states and the Indian subcontinent.
Port update (DHL)
- UAE – All ports operational
- Kuwait
- Shuwaikh operational,
- Shuaiba Partially operational
- Saudi Ports – Operational
- Umm Qasr – Operational
- Hamad – Operational
- Bahrain – Non-Operational
- Oman
- Sohar operational
- Salalah Container Terminal Operational
- Duqm Partly Operational
- Beirut – Operational
- Umm Qasr – Operational
- Aqaba – Operational
Air cargo capacity squeeze
The same conflict has triggered airspace closures and restrictions across parts of the Gulf and wider Middle East, forcing airlines to cancel, reroute, or delay passenger and freighter flights. As a result, global air cargo capacity has fallen sharply in a short period, with independent analysis indicating a drop of around 18% in total worldwide cargo capacity and more than a 40% reduction on some Asia–Middle East–Europe corridors.
Major regional carriers, including Emirates, Qatar Airways, and Etihad, have adjusted their schedules, with a mix of flight cancellations, diversions, and booking limitations on affected routes. While these measures vary by airline and route, the overall effect is a marked tightening of available belly‑hold and dedicated freighter capacity through the Gulf hubs and surrounding airspace.
Energy and cost implications
Oil prices have surged to their highest levels since 2022 as markets react to the potential for prolonged disruption of crude and product flows through the Strait of Hormuz and neighbouring waters. At the same time, shipping and airfreight markets are experiencing higher war‑risk premiums, longer voyage distances, and growing operational uncertainty, all of which are feeding into rising freight rates and volatile fuel surcharges.
Analysts and industry participants expect continued upward pressure on both ocean and air freight pricing in the near term, particularly on trades that normally rely on Hormuz or Middle Eastern airspace. The extent and duration of these cost increases will depend on how the security situation evolves, the stability of key energy export routes, and the ability of carriers to stabilise new routings and capacity allocations.
What shippers should do now
In this environment, shippers and importers may want to:
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Review current orders and in‑transit shipments that depend on Middle East maritime routes or air corridors, and identify exposure to delays or diversions.
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Build additional lead time into planning, especially for flows between Asia, the Middle East, and Europe, to accommodate longer transit times and possible port and airport congestion.
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Engage proactively with logistics providers and carriers to understand available routing options, service suspensions, and any temporary surcharges or insurance requirements.
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Prioritise critical, high‑value, or time‑sensitive cargo for limited airfreight capacity or more resilient routings where commercially viable.
We will continue to monitor developments and update this blog as new, reliable information emerges from official and industry sources