The Middle East Situation's Repercussions on Maritime Shipping

The recent escalation of tensions in the Middle East and the disruption of traffic in the Strait of Hormuz have begun to impact global shipping. Early signs indicate rising freight rates, limited vessel capacity, difficulties in booking space, and extended transit times on some routes.

 In a recent interview with the BBC, the CEO of Maersk also pointed out that if tensions continue to escalate, the current situation could pose significant challenges to global shipping.

The following are the price increases implemented by major shipping companies since the outbreak of the US-Iran conflict in 2026: Price Increase Measures by Major Shipping Companies

 1. CMA CGM (France)

Measures: Imposing an "Emergency Conflict Surcharge" on cargo to and from Gulf and Red Sea countries.

Amount: An increase of US$2,000-4,000 per container.

Effective Date: March 3, 2026.

Additional Note: An additional US$3,000 emergency surcharge will be added to each 20-foot container on some routes.

2. Hapag-Lloyd (Germany)

Measures: Imposing a War Risk Surcharge.

Amount: An additional US$1,500 per standard 20-foot container.

Route Adjustment: Suspension of all vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz.

3. Maersk (Denmark)

Measures: Implementing an Emergency Bunker. Surcharge)

Effective Date: March 25, 2026 (subject to approval by the U.S. Federal Maritime Commission)

Adjustment Mechanism: May be adjusted every 14 days

Route Adjustment: Suspension of Red Sea and Suez Canal routes, rerouting to the Cape of Good Hope

4. Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC)

Measures: Suspension of all cargo bookings to the Middle East

Supplements: Announced a second round of price increases for the Europe-Mediterranean route in late March—US$120 increase for 20-foot containers and US$200 increase for 40-foot containers

Scope of Impact

Capacity Consumption: Approximately 2.5 million 20-foot containers forced to detour through Africa

Vessel Delays: Over 700 vessels are backed up in the Strait of Hormuz, and approximately 100 container ships are stranded in the Persian Gulf

Global Impact: Expected to affect approximately 2 million TEUs of cargo (based on cargo volume at Gulf ports and bookings for the next 90 days)

Market Outlook

Vespucci Maritime CEO Lars Jensen points out that this conflict has fundamentally altered the global shipping supply and demand balance for 2026, with shipping companies delaying annual contract negotiations. If the conflict continues, it could trigger a repeat of the market phenomena seen during the Red Sea crisis, driving a structural increase in global freight rates.

After the first shot is fired, there are no winners; a domino effect has already occurred. In the field of lithium battery energy storage, what we can do is to pay as much attention as possible to the rise in ocean freight rates, adjust the cycle according to the project situation, lock in future shipping space, and reduce losses for both parties to the contract.