Port of NEOM Offers Alternative Route for Gulf Importers As Hormuz Remains Volatile Maritime Activity Reports, Inc. June 2, 2026 © Adobe Stock/Aninka Only a month into the Iran war, Qatar-based distributor Salam Studio & Stores had already gone weeks without its regular Red Bull shipments, prompting it to test a little-used route. The conflict and effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, now in their fourth month, had scattered its products across ports in India and Sri Lanka, while Gulf hubs it typically relies on faced Iranian fire and capacity constraints. Wary of losing market share, Salam opted for an untested solution: shipping cargo to Doha via Saudi Arabia's Port of NEOM, a Red Sea facility now pitching itself as a faster alternative to the region's traditional trade routes. The move highlights the lengths some Gulf businesses are willing to go to keep goods flowing as the war disrupts established regional supply chains. But shipping data suggest such workarounds remain niche, offering speed for select cargo rather than a fix for wider supply disruptions. FASTER, BUT MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE Salam initially ordered a single truckload to test the corridor from Europe to the Gulf, which spans multiple sea and land legs, director of distribution Adam Mulla told Reuters. "It took us less time than it usually does," he said, though costs were sharply higher. The shipment arrived within 22 days - nearly half the usual time from Europe to the Gulf. Encouraged, the company ordered 15 more truckloads, paying about $10,000 per load, compared with roughly $2,500 for  maritime  shipping before the war. The extra costs reflected higher diesel and insurance prices rather than port fees, Mulla said. NEOM, the brainchild of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, was unveiled a decade ago as a futuristic urban project before plans were scaled back amid cost overruns. Its port is now being positioned as part of a faster trading corridor. NICHE SOLUTION "Europe-Egy