Overview
- MSC declared an End of Voyage for certain Gulf exports and will discharge affected containers at the nearest safe port, transferring custody and risk to cargo interests.
- MSC is offering onward carriage only under new contracts that carry a mandatory $800 per‑container surcharge to cover deviation and logistical costs.
- Maersk suspended all cargo bookings to and from the UAE, Oman, Iraq, Kuwait, Jordan, Qatar, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia and introduced emergency freight rates of about $1,800 to $3,800 per container.
- Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has effectively halted, with reports of Iranian missile and drone attacks contributing to diversions and oil price spikes.
- Other carriers, including Ocean Network Express and Emirates Shipping Line, have imposed precautionary suspensions or restrictions, and analysts warn of higher costs, longer transit times and supply‑chain delays.