Due to the escalation of conflicts in the Middle East, the shipping of the Strait of Hormuz, a key passage for global energy and trade, has nearly come to a standstill. The shipping industry has encountered an "acute operational crisis". Currently, many global leading shipping companies have announced suspending operations and halting the receipt of goods from the Middle East. Coupled with multiple factors such as adjustments to war risk coverage and route changes, shipping prices have risen, port congestion risks have increased, and the cross-border logistics and foreign trade export industries are facing pressure. 

The passage through the strait has been blocked, and shipping has almost come to a standstill. 

Currently, the speed of oil tankers sailing around the Strait of Hormuz has generally dropped to zero, and many types of ships are in a suspended operation state. Several European countries have issued bans, prohibiting their own oil tankers from passing through this strait. Additionally, the war risk coverage in Iranian waters and the adjacent waters of the Gulf will be officially cancelled starting from March 5th. Ships entering this area will lose the relevant risk coverage. As the only passage from the Persian Gulf to the Indian Ocean, the suspension of navigation in this strait directly affects approximately 20% of the global oil transportation routes. 

The shipping company has suspended its routes and has stopped accepting shipments from the Middle East. 

In response to the escalating situation, global shipping companies such as Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), Maersk, Hapag-Lloyd, and CMA CGM have taken emergency measures. Many shipping companies have suspended the passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz, and ships currently in transit have been redirected to safe areas and are on standby. MSC was the first to suspend the booking of goods destined for the Middle East globally, and subsequently, many other shipping companies followed suit by closing the booking channels for the Middle East routes. CMA CGM, Hapag-Lloyd, and Maersk have redirected relevant routes to the Cape of Good Hope, increasing the voyage distance by approximately 3,500 nautical miles and extending the sailing time by at least 10 days. Many domestic freight forwarding companies in multiple regions have announced the suspension of cargo collection on the Middle East routes, and some already loaded containers need to go through customs clearance for return and re-export. 

Fees have increased, and surcharges have also risen. 

The suspension of shipping operations led to a contraction in capacity, driving up shipping prices. The oil shipping market was particularly notable, with the freight rates for ultra-large crude carriers (VLCC) rising. In the container shipping market, several shipping companies increased war surcharges. Hapag-Lloyd added $1,500 per 20-foot container, while CMA CGM raised the surcharge to $2,000. Industry experts believe that if the shipping routes remain suspended for a long time, the transfer of a large amount of capacity will push up the overall global shipping prices. 

Port operations have been affected, and vessel congestion has worsened. 

The operations of some key ports in the Middle East have been affected. As a major container port in the Middle East, Jebel Ali Port was once suspended. Currently, hundreds of ships are stranded at both ends of the Hormuz Strait. The combined impact of rerouting of shipping routes and the shutdown of ports may trigger a chain reaction in global shipping schedules. Moreover, the sea conditions in the Cape of Good Hope are complex, and after ships change their routes, the sailing costs and safety risks will increase. 

Cross-border logistics adjustments, services in multiple countries suspended 

The unstable situation in the Middle East has led to a contraction in local logistics and cross-border express delivery services. SF International has announced the suspension of import and export express and e-commerce services in several countries in the Middle East; Amazon has suspended operations and delivery services in the UAE. Currently, logistics services in major Middle Eastern countries such as the UAE have been suspended, while some areas in Saudi Arabia still offer delivery services, but cross-border small package express lines have basically stopped operating. 

The current suspension of shipping in the Strait of Hormuz has escalated from a regional conflict to a global impact on maritime transportation. Multiple factors such as the suspension of shipping on the Middle East route, rising freight rates, port congestion, and the withdrawal of risk guarantees have combined. Currently, foreign trade enterprises and logistics companies have all entered a wait-and-see mode and have simultaneously initiated emergency response plans. The future trend of shipping freight rates, the progress of ship schedules' restoration, and the time for port restarts will directly depend on the changes in the situation in the Middle East region.