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Urgent Market Update: Impact of Middle East Escalation on Global Logistics

The situation in the Middle East escalated dramatically over the past weekend. As a result of military conflicts, we are currently seeing extensive closures of airspace and ports. As your logistics partner, we would like to inform you of the current status of the key hubs and the impact on global supply chains.

1. Sea Freight: Closures and Safety Halts Shipping in the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea has come to a near standstill.

  • Port Closures & Restrictions: Operations at Jebel Ali (UAE) have been temporarily suspended for damage inspection. Ports in Bahrain, Qatar, and Oman (Duqm) have also ceased operations or suspended navigation until further notice.
  • Strait of Hormuz: The strait is effectively blocked. Major shipping lines have halted all transits and instructed vessels to seek shelter in safe waiting zones.

2. Air Freight: Massive Airport Closures Airspace over large parts of the region is closed to civilian aviation, affecting major transit points for global shipments between Asia and Europe.

  • Closed Airports: All operations at Dubai (DXB & DWC), Abu Dhabi (AUH), and Doha (DOH) are suspended until further notice. Tel Aviv (TLV) and Beirut (BEY) are largely closed or restricted to evacuation flights.
  • Airspace Closures: Airspace over Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, and Israel is almost entirely empty. Major airlines have cancelled all flights to the region for the coming days.

3. Impact on Your Shipments

  • Goods in Transit: Shipments already located in the Gulf region are currently on hold. We are evaluating individual solutions for temporary storage or rerouting.
  • New Bookings: Due to the current situation, we must unfortunately impose a temporary booking freeze for all shipments to the Persian Gulf.
  • Delays & Price Trends: As the Middle East serves as a central alternative route for global trade, we expect increases in lead times and a significant upward trend in freight rates.

We are monitoring the situation hourly. Please understand that under these circumstances, delivery commitments are subject to “Force Majeure.”

For detailed questions regarding your current orders, your local MOL Logistics contact person is available to assist you directly. We remain committed to “Creating together a space for happiness,” even in these challenging times, by finding the best possible solutions for your business.