Container carriers implement emergency ops for cargo to, from several Middle East ports in International Shipping News 06/03/2026 Container ship companies have implemented emergency operations for cargoes originating from or destined for the Middle East while the conflict between the US and Iran continues, including ceasing booking and end of voyage declarations. Traffic has been essentially stopped through the Strait of Hormuz, but the waterway that is vital to crude and liquid chemical shipping only handles about 2-3% of global container volumes, according to Judah Levine, head of research at online freight shipping marketplace and platform provider Freightos. The following image shows the Strait of Hormuz. The yellow vessels are cargo ships, and the orange vessels are tankers. Still, with most carriers implementing emergency operations in the region, Levine said these moves cause delays that will create a ripple effect. “The canceled sailings mean gulf-bound containers are already starting to pile up and threaten container yard congestion in India,” Levine said. “They could likewise lead to some backlogs at Asia-Pacific origins that may start to be felt by other shippers out of those ports if the shutdown lengthens.” Levine said that major impact on container shipping is mostly local, “but the longer the conflict continues, the more disruptive it will be and the more broadly it will be felt”. Peter Sand, chief analyst at ocean and freight rates analytics firm Xeneta, agreed that the global impact on container shipping is less than the impact on energy shipments. “There is no viable alternative to getting containers in or out of ports such as Jebel Ali by ocean if Persian Gulf is off limits,” Sand said. “Carriers will instead omit these calls on east-west services and drop boxes at a least-worst alternative port for onward transportation by road.” “This will cause severe disruption and port congestion at a regional level but will not have a major impact on a global scale when compared to the seismic influence of conflict in the Red Sea,” Sand said. CARRIER NOTICES Hapag-Lloyd has implemented a booking stop, effective immediately and until further notice for all cargo types to and from the United Arab Emirates, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman (Sohar), Saudi Arabia (Dammam and Jubail), and Yemen. Regional Container Lines (RCL) announced on 3 March a general rate increase (GRI) of $2,000/TEU (20-foot equivalent unit) and $4,000/FEU (40-foot equivalent unit) for all cargo moving to and from the Middle East, Arabian Gulf, and Persian Gulf. The GRI applies to bookings already placed, cargo in transit, and new bookings until further notice, and is retroactive to 2 March. COSCO Shipping Lines has suspended all new bookings services for relevant routes with immediate effect until further notice. This includes suspension of all new bookings to and from the United Arab Emirates (excluding Khor Fakkan and Fujairah), Bahrain, Iraq, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (excluding Jeddah), and Kuwait. “For the cargo already on board, we are conducting a comprehensive assessment of the subsequent disposal plans, including the research and confirmation of potential contingency discharge ports and other relevant matters,” COSCO said, with all provisions to be strictly implemented in accordance with the company’s terms and conditions. Maersk told customers it is temporarily suspending cargo booking acceptance in and out of UAE, Oman (all ports apart from Sala