The situation in the container shipping sector through the Strait of Hormuz continues to change rapidly. The main events that took place on March 3-4, 2026, concern not so much the introduction of new surcharges (most of which were announced earlier, with an effective date of March 2), but rather the expansion of cargo booking restrictions by the largest shipping lines.
In addition to the previously introduced surcharges, on March 3-4, carriers announced the suspension or significant limitation of new bookings.
New Cargo Booking Restrictions
COSCO
- Full suspension of new bookings (from March 4).
- No new bookings for shipments to/from the UAE (except for the ports of Fujairah and Khor Fakkan), Qatar, Bahrain, Iraq, Saudi Arabia (except for the port of Jeddah), and Kuwait.
Maersk
- Temporary suspension of new bookings (from March 4).
- No orders accepted to/from the UAE, Oman (except for the port of Salalah), Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia (ports of Dammam and Jubail only). Exception: critical food items, medicines, and other essential goods.
- Ban on dangerous and reefer cargo (from March 2).
- Acceptance of dangerous goods and reefers (special equipment) suspended for the same destinations listed above.
CMA CGM
- Ban on dangerous goods (from March 2).
- Booking acceptance suspended for dangerous goods to all countries covered by the ECS surcharge (see list below).
Hapag-Lloyd
- Booking suspension (confirmed March 3).
- Implemented a booking stop with immediate effect and until further notice for all cargo types to the following countries (both from and to):
• United Arab Emirates
• Iraq
• Kuwait
• Qatar
• Bahrain
• Oman (Sohar)
• Saudi Arabia (Dammam and Jubail)
• Yemen
MSC declares a complete suspension of all new bookings for cargo worldwide destined for Middle Eastern countries (Persian Gulf region), until further notice. End of Voyage for all shipments currently under MSC’s custody and care, whether located ashore or at sea, and destined for ports in the Arabian Gulf. This measure also applies to all empty containers that have already been released for stuffing and are intended for export to the above-mentioned destinations.
All shipments currently en route will be diverted to the next safe port of discharge. At that location, cargo will be discharged and placed at customers’ disposal for local delivery and recovery.
A mandatory surcharge of USD 800 per container will apply to all affected shipments, without exception, to cover deviation costs. Furthermore, all discharge-related expenses — including, but not limited to, handling, storage, and any ancillary charges — shall be for the sole account and risk of the cargo, in accordance with the MSC Sea Waybill / Bill of Lading Terms and Conditions, particularly Clause 13 (Special Circumstances).
According to Alphaliner, MSC is one of the carriers most affected, with 15 vessels (with a capacity of 109,000 TEU) seeking shelter in the region.
Short-term Consequences and Forecast
- Sharp increase in rates.These apply not only to transport to/from the Middle East, but also to services from the Far East.
- In some directions, for example, from India to the Gulf countries, rates have increased by 750-900%.
- Vessel congestion.According to expert estimates, about 10% of the global container fleet (hundreds of vessels with thousands of reefer containers) are effectively blocked or delayed in the conflict zone.
- Equipment problems. Market participants predict an acute shortage of containers and increased port congestion after regular traffic resumes.
- Cargo diversion.Vessels transiting the Suez Canal are once again being diverted around Africa (via the Cape of Good Hope).
The situation is extremely unstable. If your cargo is already in transit or you are planning a shipment, we recommend contacting your forwarder as soon as possible to clarify the status of a specific delivery and the possibility of applying exceptions.
Please, contact us if you have any requests: 79@asstra.com
