The conflict in the Middle East has turned the container shipping sector into a “wild west”, with carriers adding thousands of dollars in extra charges and dumping containers at far-flung ports, according to shipping groups and removal companies.
The effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz following Iranian strikes and fears that Houthi rebels will resume their attacks in the Red Sea have prompted shipping lines to suspend bookings and reroute goods. Fire as a result of debris from aerial strikes on Sunday over the main hub port in Dubai, Jebel Ali, has triggered further cancellations and congestion at safer ports.
The largest shipping groups, including MSC, Maersk, CMA CGM and Hapag-Lloyd have told customers they reserve the right to invoke a 19th-century rule to allow them to leave containers at the nearest available port at their client’s expense.