Nine days into the U.S.-Iran war, the Strait of Hormuz — the narrow waterway through which roughly 20% of the world's oil supply and a significant volume of containerized cargo flows — has become a war zone. Every major ocean carrier has now suspended transits through the strait, creating the most severe shipping disruption since the Suez Canal blockage of 2021.
This is not a drill. If your supply chain touches the Persian Gulf, the Red Sea, or any Middle Eastern port, you need to act now.
On February 28, coordinated U.S. and Israeli strikes killed Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and top military commanders. Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps responded with sustained missile and drone attacks on military and commercial targets across the Gulf region.
Key developments as of March 8, 2026:
The carrier response has been swift and unprecedented:
| Carrier | Action |
|---|---|
| Maersk | Suspended all Strait of Hormuz crossings; rerouting ME11 and MECL services via Cape of Good Hope |
| MSC | All Gulf vessels ordered to shelter; suspended worldwide cargo bookings to the Middle East |
| Hapag-Lloyd | Suspended all Hormuz transits |
| CMA CGM | All Gulf-bound vessels ordered to shelter; Suez Canal transits suspended; Cape of Good Hope rerouting; Emergency Conflict Surcharge of $2,000-$4,000 per container effective March 2 |
| Japanese carriers (NYK, MOL, K Line) | Operations paused pending security assessment |
The World Shipping Council stated: "The safety of seafarers is paramount. Seafarers must not be targeted or placed at risk as a result of conflict."
Your containers are likely sitting at anchor or being rerouted. Contact your Transmodal representative immediately for shipment-level status updates. We are tracking every affected container through our MTR system.
Expect delays of 2-4 weeks minimum on any Gulf-origin or Gulf-destination cargo. Cape of Good Hope rerouting adds 10-14 days to transit times from Asia. Blank sailings will increase across trans-Pacific and Asia-Europe routes as carriers reposition vessels.
CMA CGM's Emergency Conflict Surcharge ($2,000-$4,000/container) is the first but will not be the last. Expect similar surcharges from all carriers within days. Budget accordingly.
Diesel is up 15% in a week. Bunker fuel surcharges will follow. Trucking costs will increase, particularly for long-haul drayage.
With ocean transit times extending dramatically, time-sensitive cargo will shift to air. Expect air freight rates to rise 20-40% within the next two weeks, especially for Middle East and South Asia lanes.
Audit your pipeline. Identify every shipment that touches a Gulf port, the Red Sea, or the Suez Canal. Transmodal can run this analysis for you — call us.
Communicate with your customers. If you're expecting deliveries from the Middle East, South Asia, or Southeast Asia (Suez-routed), proactively notify your buyers about potential delays.
Review your insurance coverage. War risk premiums are spiking. Confirm your cargo insurance covers conflict-zone disruptions. If your goods are currently afloat near the Gulf, confirm your war risk clause is active.
Consider alternative sourcing. If you have dual-source options that avoid Gulf/Suez routing, now is the time to activate them.
Lock in rates where possible. Spot rates will climb rapidly. If you can secure contract rates or forward bookings on non-affected lanes, do it before surcharges compound.
Talk to Transmodal. We are monitoring this situation around the clock. Our operations team has contingency routing plans for every affected trade lane. Reach out at (201) 316-1600 or email info@transmodal.net.
This crisis is happening on top of an already strained global trade environment — Section 301 tariffs at 45%+ on Chinese goods, the Section 122 universal tariff at 15%, and ongoing litigation challenging both. Supply chains that were already being stress-tested are now facing a geopolitical shock.
The Strait of Hormuz has been a theoretical chokepoint risk for decades. It is no longer theoretical.
We will continue to provide updates as the situation develops. If you have cargo questions, do not wait — contact your Transmodal representative today.
Questions about how this affects your shipments? Contact Transmodal at (201) 316-1600 or email info@transmodal.net.