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Escalating conflict in the Middle East has led to the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, disrupting containerized shipping and supply chains across the Gulf and Asia-Europe routes. Carriers are suspending bookings and rerouting vessels, resulting in longer transit times, added costs, and growing risk exposure for shippers. We recommend that shippers promptly review cargo routed via Gulf ports, monitor carrier advisories, and prepare for schedule and rate volatility.
This update focuses on what has happened so far, disruptions to containerized trade due to the Strait of Hormuz situation, and a live spreadsheet link with information on the container vessels impacted.
Effective Closure of the Strait of Hormuz: How Ocean Freight Has Been Impacted So Far
The most immediate development is the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz. The Iran Strait disruption has resulted in large-scale hesitation and course reversals across the container shipping industry, rather than a complete halt of all marine activity.
Vessels en route to or from the Persian Gulf began making U-turns within hours of the Hormuz Strait closure announcement. AIS data captured dozens of container vessels halting transits or reversing course, including vessels ranging from 700-TEU feeders to 6,700-TEU mid-size carriers.
At the same time, Houthi groups in Yemen have signalled a resumption of attacks on Red Sea shipping, effectively closing off the western approach to the Arabian Peninsula as well. This dual-chokepoint scenario, with the Strait of Hormuz closed to the east and the Red Sea volatile to the west, leaves Gulf-bound cargo with no fast-routing option.
Asia-Europe services that had recently returned to the Suez Canal routing, after more than two years of Cape of Good Hope detours, have reverted to the longer route around Africa. That shift alone adds approximately seven days to transit times on key loops, with cascading effects on vessel schedules, port calls, and equipment availability.
Departures bound for Persian Gulf destinations have dropped sharply, with many shippers opting to pause bookings rather than commit cargo to routes that carry uncertain delivery outcomes and escalating cost exposure.
A small number of vessels have still transited, including Iranian-flagged vessels departing Bandar Abbas. However, the broader pattern indicates that most mainline container operators are avoiding exposure to Hormuz shipping disruptions entirely.
There have also been reported incidents in the region, including debris striking infrastructure at Jebel Ali and an oil tanker fire in the Strait. While not directly targeting container ships, these events have significantly increased perceived operational risk and reinforced the threat of attacks in the Strait of Hormuz for commercial operators.
Gulf airspace closures have added another layer of disruption, tightening global air freight capacity and forcing airlines to reroute around the region. For shippers relying on air as a backup for time-sensitive cargo, lead times and rates on Asia-Europe air lanes are already under pressure.
Carrier Advisories and Service Adjustments Following the Hormuz Strait Closure
As of March 2, major carriers have already implemented significant network changes in response to the Strait of Hormuz situation:
- MSC has suspended all bookings for worldwide cargo destined for the Middle East region until further notice.
- CMA CGM has instructed all vessels inside the Gulf, and those bound for the Gulf, to proceed to shelter with immediate effect. The carrier has also suspended Suez Canal transits and is rerouting vessels via the Cape of Good Hope. This applies not just to Gulf ports but extends to all Red Sea ports, including those in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Djibouti, Sudan, and Eritrea. CMA CGM has introduced an Emergency Conflict Surcharge of $2,000 per 20-foot container, $3,000 per 40-foot container, and $4,000 for reefer units.
- Maersk has redirected sailings on its MECL and ME11 services back to the round-Africa routing, reversing the Suez Canal switch that had only recently taken effect. ME11 is a Gemini alliance service operated jointly with Hapag-Lloyd, which has issued similar advisories.
War risk surcharges and emergency security premiums are being applied across multiple carriers, adding to the landed cost of cargo moving on affected lanes. Marine insurance rates are also adjusting, with some underwriters withdrawing coverage for Gulf and Red Sea transits entirely.
These decisions effectively erase the recent transit-time gains achieved through the resumption of Red Sea and Suez routings. Asia-Europe lead times will extend again as vessels revert to the Cape of Good Hope, a direct consequence of the ongoing Hormuz shipping disruption.
Hormuz Strait Impact: Transshipment and Congestion Risks
If mainline vessels continue to avoid direct Gulf calls due to the Strait of Hormuz closure, Gulf-bound cargo is likely to be discharged at regional hubs such as Salalah, Sohar, Duqm, Khor Fakkan, and Colombo for feeder relay.
This creates two immediate risks:
- Congestion at alternative hubs absorbing diverted volumes
- Bottlenecks at Asian transshipment ports such as Singapore, Tanjung Pelepas, and Port Klang, if carriers restrict Gulf-bound loadings
A prolonged disruption in the Strait of Hormuz could prompt carriers to temporarily suspend additional Gulf bookings if onward routing remains uncertain. This may tighten equipment availability and push up spot rates across multiple trades, not just Gulf lanes.
War risk insurance premiums and emergency surcharges are already adding cost pressure. A ripple effect across major east-west trades is likely if capacity remains tied up in longer Cape routings.
To proactively address these challenges, shippers and managers should consider immediate mitigation steps, such as diversifying routings where possible, securing container equipment and bookings as early as feasible, and communicating closely with freight partners to identify alternative gateways and transshipment options.
Track the Vessels Impacted by the Strait of Hormuz Disruption in Real Time
To support the logistics and shipping community during this disruption, Portcast has compiled a live spreadsheet tracking vessels likely affected by the Strait of Hormuz closure. The list is updated continuously as the situation evolves.
Use it to assess exposure across your shipments and prioritize outreach to your carriers and forwarders.
What Should Shippers Do Now?
- Review all cargo routed via Gulf ports, including Jebel Ali, Dammam, Hamad, Shuwaikh, and Bandar Abbas
- Monitor feeder dependencies if cargo is being discharged at alternative hubs
- Anticipate longer transit times on Asia-Europe trades as a result of the Hormuz Strait closure
- Budget for surcharges and rising spot rates
- Prepare for schedule volatility as carrier networks are reconfigured
Stay Ahead of Disruption With Predictive Visibility
As the Strait of Hormuz situation evolves, reactive tracking is not enough. Shippers and forwarders need early signals on vessel deviations, port congestion risk, and transit-time impacts before delays materialize.
Portcast provides real-time container tracking, predictive ETAs, and port congestion intelligence to help teams assess exposure and act faster during disruptions, such as the ongoing Hormuz shipping disruption.
How Portcast Customers Manage Such Disruption Risk
When a disruption of this scale unfolds, the challenge for logistics teams is knowing which shipments are affected, by how much, and what to do next. Broad advisories from carriers tell you what is changing at the network level. What matters operationally is understanding the impact at the shipment level.
Here's how Portcast's Command Center helps customers to isolate exposure and take action during events like the ongoing Strait of Hormuz disruption:
1. Isolate the geography: Start by scoping the impact zone. Filter active shipments by ports or countries of origin, destination, or transshipment hubs within the affected region. This immediately separates the shipments that need attention from those that do not.
2. Identify stranded or at-risk containers: Use exception-based filters to find containers that are already showing signs of disruption: idling at a transshipment hub, awaiting final vessel assignment, or sitting beyond normal dwell thresholds. These are the highest-priority shipments.
3. Quantify expected delays: For containers closest to the disruption zone, pull predictive ETA updates rather than relying on carrier-issued schedules, which tend to lag behind actual vessel movements. This gives the teams and their customers an earlier, more accurate picture of when cargo will actually arrive.
4. Drill down for resolution: For shipments that need active intervention, move to the container level. Granular, box-level data supports precise communication with drayage providers, warehouse teams, and end customers, reducing the back-and-forth that typically slows down exception management.
For blank sailing risk specifically, a sailing schedules calendar showing upcoming departures by route and carrier helps identify lanes where coverage is thinning before the blank sailing is officially announced, giving teams a window to rebook or adjust.
This kind of structured workflow applies beyond crisis events. Port congestion, blank sailings, carrier equipment shortages, and schedule reliability issues create similar operational and financial exposure on a regular basis. Having a system for isolating, quantifying, and actioning these risks is what separates teams that absorb disruption costs from those that avoid them.
Speak to our team to understand how Portcast can help you navigate such scenarios with greater confidence.
Our thoughts are with all those affected by the ongoing tensions in the region. We remain committed to providing the shipping and logistics community with timely, accurate information to help navigate these challenging times.
