Strait of Hormuz Closure Disrupts Global Shipping, Echoes Suez Canal Crisis
Global trade faces renewed disruption as escalating tensions in the Persian Gulf region lead to significant delays and increased costs for shipping. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for oil and natural gas, is forcing carriers to suspend operations, seek alternative routes, and impose substantial surcharges, mirroring the chaos experienced during the Suez Canal blockage and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Current Situation: Thousands of Ships Stranded
As of March 5, 2026, security conditions remain unstable across the Persian Gulf and adjacent waterways. Logistics expert David Knobloch of NTG Air & Ocean estimates that approximately 3,000 ships, including around 170 container ships carrying roughly 450,000 containers, are currently stranded in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. To put this into perspective, it would require approximately 4,090 trains to transport the volume of goods currently blocked.
Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has decreased by approximately 90% due to the conflict. Shipowners are instructing vessels to seek safe waters or harbors and await further instructions.
Carrier Responses and Port Disruptions
Major shipping lines are responding to the crisis by suspending bookings and rerouting vessels. Maersk has suspended inbound and outbound bookings for the UAE, Oman (excluding Salalah), Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia (Dammam & Jubail only), with exceptions for critical foodstuffs, medicines, and essential goods. Dangerous cargo to/from Israel is not being accepted until further notice, while other acceptance to/from Israel remains open.
Reefer and dangerous/special cargo shipments to/from the UAE, Oman, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia are too suspended. HMM is developing contingency plans.
Port operations are also affected. Bahrain’s port remains closed. Salalah, Oman has restarted operations, but intermittent interruptions are expected. Saudi Arabian ports are operating normally, but vessel activities in the Eastern Province (Dammam/Jubail) are limited to domestic port calls. The UAE’s ports, including Al-Fujairah, are operating, though Al-Fujairah recently restarted operations after a temporary suspension.
Ripple Effects on Global Trade and Logistics
The disruption extends beyond the Persian Gulf. Transshipment ports like Colombo in Sri Lanka, Mumbai in India, and Singapore are expected to experience congestion as full containers accumulate. This congestion will block terminal capacity and create logistical challenges, potentially leading to container shortages in some areas and surpluses in others.
Adding to the problem, major shipping companies are again avoiding the Suez Canal due to security risks in the Red Sea, diverting around the Cape of Solid Hope. This adds approximately fifteen days to the journey to Europe and an extra 4,000-4,500 nautical miles.
Rising Costs and Surcharges
The crisis is already impacting transport prices. Shipowners are introducing novel surcharges and reacting to rising fuel costs. War surcharges are currently around $1,500 to $2,000 per twenty-foot container.
Impact on the Czech Republic and European Industry
The Czech Republic may experience impacts on exports to the Persian Gulf countries, including food, engineering products, and automotive components. Disrupted contracts and increased costs are potential consequences.
More broadly, any restriction of traffic in the Strait of Hormuz could lead to increased oil prices and transport costs, raising production costs for European industry, including Czech engineering companies. Although, the Czech export of engineering technology is relatively diversified, with primary markets in the European Union and North America, mitigating the immediate impact.