Major Container Carriers Pull Persian Gulf Services and Add Emergency Hormuz Surcharges

As the Strait of Hormuz crisis deepens, the world's largest container shipping lines have suspended crossings and imposed fresh emergency surcharges. Maersk has halted new Strait of Hormuz transits, is rerouting Gulf-bound cargo via the Jebel Ali transhipment hub and Cape of Good Hope diversions, and has added a Strait of Hormuz Emergency Freight surcharge.

France's CMA CGM has activated Cape of Good Hope routing for all Asia to Europe services, with spot rates on affected lanes up roughly 60 percent, while Germany's Hapag-Lloyd has also suspended Hormuz transits and is diverting cargo around the Cape. The rerouting lengthens transit times and lifts costs, adding to imported inflation and higher goods prices in Iran and the wider region.