Middle East Conflict Shipping & Air Freight Disruptions | Carrier Suspensions & Surcharges 2026

Due to the recent escalation of the military conflict in the Middle East, especially following the joint US-Israel strike on Iran, there have been significant and immediate disruptions to both global shipping networks and air cargo operations.

As of today, March 2, 2026, most major carriers and airlines have announced emergency measures. To keep you fully informed, here is a summary of the latest adjustments

SEA FREIGHT UPDATE

1. Suspension of Middle East Services
Several major carriers have suspended all bookings to/from the Middle East region until further notice. This includes:

• MSC, ONE, PIL, HMM, COSCO, OOCL, and CMA CGM have all temporarily stopped accepting new bookings for Middle East destinations.

2. Route Changes: Avoiding the Red Sea & Suez Canal
To ensure vessel safety, the following carriers have suspended transit via the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea, with vessels now rerouting via the Cape of Good Hope:

• Maersk (MSK)
• CMA CGM
• Hapag-Lloyd (HPL)

3. Emergency Surcharges
To manage the increased risks and extended voyage costs, several carriers have begun implementing Emergency Conflict Surcharges (ECS) or War Risk Surcharges (WRS) :

• CMA CGM: Implemented an Emergency Conflict Surcharge of USD 2000/TEU (USD 3000/FEU).
• Hapag-Lloyd: Implemented a War Risk Surcharge of USD 1500/TEU (reefers and special equipment at higher rates).

4. Operational Status of Key Hubs
Operations at major transshipment hubs, such as Jebel Ali (Dubai) , have been impacted, which may cause delays for connecting cargo.

 AIR FREIGHT UPDATE

1. Widespread Airspace Closures
At least 11 countries’ airspaces have been closed or restricted, including Iran, Iraq, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Lebanon, Israel, and Oman. Major hubs including Dubai (DXB), Abu Dhabi (AUH), and Doha (HAM) have temporarily suspended operations.

2. Airline Suspensions

• Emirates, Etihad, Qatar Airways: All flights suspended until at least March 2-3.
• Air India / IndiGo: All Middle East routes suspended; hundreds of flights cancelled through March 3.
• British Airways, Lufthansa Group, Air France/KLM: Flights to Tel Aviv, Gulf destinations, and select Middle East routes suspended until March 3-8.
• Cathay Pacific, Singapore Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Garuda Indonesia: Flights to Dubai, Riyadh, Doha, Jeddah suspended or rerouted until March 4-7.
• China Airlines Group (China Southern, etc.): Special refund/rebooking policies for flights through March 15.

3. Cargo Implications

• Belly cargo capacity severely reduced due to passenger flight cancellations.
• Freighter operations also affected by airspace closures; rerouting via Central Asia or southern corridors.
• Rates expected to rise sharply due to capacity crunch and longer routings.