Strait Blocked, Ports Suspended: Carriers Halt All New Bookings to the Middle East

Publish Time: 2026-03-03 Origin: Site

Following joint U.S. and Israeli military strikes on Iran, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard has announced a full closure of the Strait of Hormuz, plunging global shipping into a state of high alert. This has paralyzed the critical maritime artery connecting the Middle East to global markets, triggering systemic risks for international energy and container logistics.

Strait of Hormuz Closed: Persian Gulf Shipping Grinds to a Halt

The Strait of Hormuz, handling roughly 20% of global seaborne oil exports, has been completely sealed off. Iranian naval radio broadcasts have ordered all vessels to cease transit, cutting off the Persian Gulf’s only maritime exit.

Vessel gridlock: Hundreds of oil tankers and container ships are stranded inside the Persian Gulf, unable to exit; inbound vessels are diverting or waiting at sea.
No alternative routes: The Persian Gulf has no viable bypass, bringing crude, petroleum products, and container cargo flows to a virtual standstill.

Major Ports Suspended; Carriers Halt Middle East Bookings

Port Disruptions

Jebel Ali (UAE): Suspended operations after debris from air defense fell in the port, causing a berth fire. DP World halted all loading/unloading.
Duqm (Oman): Suspended after drone attacks; Asyad Dry Dock also closed.
Bahrain: All port operations, including pilotage, suspended nationwide.

Carrier Emergency Actions

MSC: Suspended all new bookings to the Middle East globally. Vessels in/heading to the Gulf are ordered to safe anchorages.
Maersk: Suspended all Strait of Hormuz transits; ME11/MECL services reroute around the Cape of Good Hope.
CMA CGM: Vessels in the Gulf diverted to safe areas; all Suez Canal sailings suspended, rerouted via Cape of Good Hope.
Hapag-Lloyd: Suspended all Strait of Hormuz transits; war risk surcharges (WRS) imposed.
Japanese Lines (NYK, MOL, K Line): Vessels ordered to safe areas; Strait crossings halted.

Carriers Abandon Red Sea/Suez Plans; Full Cape of Good Hope Rerouting

Major lines have scrapped 2026 Suez Canal return plans and implemented full diversion strategies:

Maersk: ME11 (Middle East–India–Med) and MECL (Middle East–India–US East Coast) rerouted around Africa.
CMA CGM: All Gulf-bound vessels diverted; Suez services suspended.
Hapag-Lloyd: IMX service rerouted via Cape of Good Hope.

Impact: Rerouting adds 10–14 days to Asia–Europe/US East Coast voyages, raising fuel costs and causing schedule chaos.

Supply Chain Disruption: Long-Term Adjustments Required

The Middle East shipping corridor is systemically blocked:

Strait of Hormuz closed
Gulf vessels in shelter
Suez/Red Sea routes suspended
Carriers executing regional withdrawal

Short-term fixes: Cargo may discharge at alternative ports (e.g., Salalah, Khor Fakkan) with overland transshipment—limited by infrastructure.

Long-term outlook: Analysts warn of year-round Cape of Good Hope rerouting; Middle East corridor recovery remains uncertain.

Port Status Update (as of March 2, 2026)

Country	Key Ports	Status	Notes
UAE	Jebel Ali	Partially resumed	Verify schedules
	Sharjah, Fujairah, Khor Fakkan	Normal
	Ruwais	ISPS 2
Kuwait	All ports	Open	Security elevated
Oman	Duqm/Asyad	Closed
	Muscat, Sohar, Salalah	Normal
Saudi Arabia	All ports	Normal
Qatar	Ras Laffan, Mesaieed	Open	Traffic down; GPS interference
	Hamad, Doha, Al Ruwais	Normal
Bahrain	All ports	Closed
Egypt	Suez Canal, all ports	Normal
Jordan	Aqaba	Normal
Pakistan	All ports	Normal

Guidance for Shippers & Freight Forwarders

Monitor port/authority updates and confirm routing/surcharges with carriers.
Assess Cape of Good Hope delays (10–14 days) and build buffer time.
Prepare for higher costs (fuel, war risk premiums, emergency surcharges).