Middle East service disruptions

Last updated: Tuesday 24 March 2026 13:15 CET

Röhlig Logistics is closely monitoring the situation in the Middle East and the impact on global supply chains. While our primary focus remains on ensuring continuity for our customers, our thoughts are with all those affected by the developments in the region.

Key takeaways

Air and Sea Freight operations across the Middle East remain disrupted. The Strait of Hormuz is currently closed to vessel traffic, halting transits and causing route diversions, including around the Cape of Good Hope. Multiple airlines have reduced services, although many report recovering numbers of passenger and freighter flights. Emergency surcharges and war-risk premiums are being implemented on affected trade lanes. Röhlig is continually assessing impacted shipments and has a number of alternative solutions available.

Looking for help?

The situation is constantly changing. Röhlig stands ready to support you in navigating the resulting challenges with clarity and confidence. While there is no universal solution, we offer tailored, practical approaches designed around your specific supply chain requirements. Just as importantly, we dedicate the necessary attention, expertise, and capacity to discuss these options with you directly.

We welcome the opportunity to speak with you - by phone, email, or in person - and begin a focused dialogue on how we can best support your business in this environment.

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Sea Freight updates in the Middle East

Maersk continues to expand multimodal transport solutions across the Gulf region, including from Upper Gulf origins (Dammam, Jubail, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, UAE, Oman) via Jeddah Port, and from UAE via landbridge. Details on cargo currently in transit can also be found within Maersk Operations updates.
Hapag Lloyd are enabling alternative container handling options through selected regional gateway ports where customers can move containers on merchant or carrier haulage basis. Hapag-Lloyd can also arrange the inland transport of cargo between Jeddah (Saudi Arabia) or Salalah (Oman) and the final place of delivery in a neighboring Gulf country via carrier haulage solution. For specific information, please refer to Hapag Lloyd's Live Ticker.
CMA CGM has deployed dedicated multimodal corridors via a network of feeder services, bonded landbridge connections and inland transport solutions.
Ocean Network Express (ONE) will implement temporary arrangements for the return of empty containers. This temporary arrangement applies to import shipments into UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, and Oman. Further information can be found in Ocean Network Express (ONE) advisories.
ZIM reports that all local terminals in both Ashdod and Haifa are functioning as usual.
COSCO has announced a suspension of all new bookings from worldwide to the United Arab Emirates (excluding Khor Fakkan and Fujairah), Bahrain, Iraq, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (excluding Jeddah), and Kuwait, as well as a suspension of all new bookings from the United Arab Emirates (excluding Khor Fakkan and Fujairah), Qatar, Bahrain, Iraq, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (excluding Jeddah), and Kuwait to worldwide.
Jebel Ali, the UAE's largest container port, is currently operational.
As many services and port calls in the region have been suspended or delayed, please be advised that the additional distance may extend transit times significantly.
Carriers may implement emergency surcharges and war-risk premiums on affected trade lanes to reflect the increased operational and insurance costs. Please check individual carriers for more infomation.

Air Freight updates in the Middle East

Emirates Airlines	Following the partial reopening of regional airspace, Emirates has recovered some passenger and freighter services. Customers may continue to plan and book shipments on available passenger and freighter flights, subject to capacity availability.
Etihad Airways	Etihad Airways has resumed a limited commercial flight schedule, operating between Abu Dhabi and a number of key destinations.
Qatar Airways	Qatar Airways scheduled flight operations remain temporarily suspended due to the closure of Qatari airspace. Qatar Airways will operate a revised limited number of flights till 28 March 2026.
Cargolux	Cargolux has decided to temporarily suspend the acceptance of all freight bound for the Middle East until further notice. with the exception of Muscat.
Lufthansa Cargo	Lufthansa Cargo and the passenger airlines of Lufthansa Group will suspend flights to and from Abu Dhabi, Amman, Beirut, Damman, Erbil, Muscat, Riyadh and Teheran through October 24. Flights to and from Tel Aviv will be suspended only through April 30 (Lufthansa Cargo) and May 31 (Lufthansa Group), while flights to and from Dubai will be suspended through May 31.
Cathay Group	Cathay Pacific flights to and from Dubai have been cancelled up to and including 30 April 2026.

Information on Röhlig Middle East

For updates on current bookings and ongoing shipments, please reach out directly to the Röhlig United Arab Emirates team.

Please check with the carriers for any new bookings to this region as some carriers may not be accepting shipments to this region at present.

Röhlig expands Air Freight capacity to support EU–Oceania cargo

With ongoing disruptions across the Middle East impacting traditional air freight transit routes, Röhlig Logistics has expanded controlled air freight capacity by up to three times, helping customers maintain supply chain continuity.

Our teams have acted quickly to implement immediate contingency solutions including:
• Dedicated 747 freighter charter capacity
• Expanded commercial air freight uplift
• Alternative routing options bypassing affected hubs

During times like these, our focus remains simple: supporting customers with practical solutions and dependable logistics expertise.

After the first interactions with our customers over the weekend and based on their additional space requests, our airfreight team acted very fast by arranging a couple of charters in order to offer scalable capacity from Europe for the next two weeks. The demand over the last couple of days has even surpassed our expectations and we are glad to offer solutions to our customers on very short notice.

Thomas Hansen
CEO - Oceania and Southeast Asia
Röhlig Logistics

Disclaimer

All information is provided in good faith for guidance and reference purposes only. It is of a general informational nature, and Röhlig Logistics GmbH & Co. KG takes no legal responsibility for the accuracy of the information provided via this document. Röhlig Logistics GmbH & Co. KG makes no representation as to the accuracy or completeness of any of the information contained herein and accepts no liability for any loss arising from the use of the information provided.