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2026-03-02 10:27:58
[War Blockade of the Strait of Hormuz Forces Global Shipping Detours] 1. With the escalation of US-Israeli military action against Iran, the Strait of Hormuz has effectively closed, prompting major global shipping companies to urgently adjust their routes. Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd announced the suspension of all vessel traffic through the Strait of Hormuz and are rerouting around the Cape of Good Hope, avoiding the Suez Canal and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) has suspended cargo bookings in the Middle East and instructed vessels to seek safe harbors. 2. Maersk stated that, given the deteriorating security situation in the Middle East, it is temporarily suspending future routes through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and the Suez Canal, affecting routes from the Middle East to India and the Mediterranean, as well as routes to the US East Coast. Hapag-Lloyd has rerouted its IMX route from India and the Middle East to the Mediterranean via waters around South Africa and announced a war risk surcharge on cargo from the Persian Gulf region starting March 2. 3. CMA CGM announced an emergency conflict surcharge on cargo to and from more than ten countries, including Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, and the UAE, as well as Red Sea ports, and requested vessels in the Gulf region to seek safe harbors. The company also suspended its Suez Canal route, opting instead to bypass the Cape of Good Hope. 4. Iran warned on Saturday that the Strait of Hormuz, which carries about one-fifth of the world's oil consumption, has been blocked. Shipping operators stated that they will prioritize resuming original routes once the security situation allows. However, under the current circumstances, bypassing the Cape of Good Hope will significantly extend the voyage and increase costs, posing a new challenge to the global supply chain.
