Maritime and logistics sector resources
Since March 2026, shortly after the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, leading global shipping companies have started to explore alternative logistics solutions to circumvent the Strait. They have introduced new multimodal transport services for the Gulf region, which are being operated through a combination of maritime shipping and inland logistics (road and/or rail), using regional gateway hubs and land bridge corridors to rebuild access to the Upper Gulf markets and maintain the connectivity between the Middle East and the rest of the world. Meanwhile, some regional logistics operators in the Middle East have expanded their services as well as their connectivity with other regions.
| Measure | Description | Link | Group |
|---|---|---|---|
| MSC, a Geneva-based container carrier, launched multimodal transport operations bypassing the Strait of Hormuz | On 3 March 2026, MSC launched haulage services, enabling inland shipment to the Gulf countries (Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates) via King Abdullah Port and Jeddah Islamic Port. Building upon this, on 2 May 2026, MSC launched a new service - Europe-Red Sea-Middle East Express - which directly connects European strategic ports with ports in the Gulf through multimodal services. | More info | Global container carriers (ranked by container capacity/market share) |
| Maersk, a Copenhagen-based shipping company, expanded multimodal transport solutions across the Gulf region | Maersk is operating landbridge solutions in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Iraq to enable these countries' exports and imports. | More info | Global container carriers (ranked by container capacity/market share) |
| CMA CGM, a Marseille-based shipping group, deployed emergency multimodal solutions in United Arab Emirates and the northern Gulf (Iraq, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait) | CMA CGM is deploying alternative multimodal solutions combining maritime, rail and road transport in order to maintain the fluidity of logistics flows in the Gulf region. Such solutions connect the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Iraq, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan from the ports located outside the Strait of Hormuz (e.g. Khor Fakkan, Fujairah, Sohar and Jeddah). | More info | Global container carriers (ranked by container capacity/market share) |
| COSCO, a Chinese state-owned shipping giant, provided general cargo container shipping services from the Far East to the Middle East via multi-modal transport | COSCO has introduced sea-land combined transport solutions to serve the Gulf countries, including United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Oman. | More info | Global container carriers (ranked by container capacity/market share) |
| Hapag-Lloyd, a Hamburg-based container line, introduced haulage landbridge solutions to bypass the Strait of Hormuz | Hapag-Lloyd is implementing temporary measures to enable alternative container handling options through selected regional gateway ports on a merchant or carrier haulage basis to continue services for the Upper Gulf countries, including United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Iraq. | More info | Global container carriers (ranked by container capacity/market share) |
| The Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani) launched new global shipping services in partnership with leading shipping lines, including MSC, CMA CGM, Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd, to expand Red Sea and Gulf trade connectivity | The Saudi Ports Authority has launched new container shipping services in partnership with MSC, Maersk, CMA CGM, and Hapag-Lloyd across Jeddah Islamic Port, King Abdulaziz Port (Dammam) and King Abdullah Port. These services not only connect Saudi ports with China, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, Spain, South Africa and Mediterranean hubs, but also integrate multimodal overland links to the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman and Kuwait. These services reinforce Jeddah Port as a major Red Sea hub and King Abdulaziz Port as a key Gulf logistics gateway. | More info | National infrastructure operators |
| Saudi Arabia Railways (SAR) launched new multimodal logistics routes linking Gulf ports, the Red Sea and industrial hubs to boost supply chain efficiency | The Saudi Arabia Railways (SAR) has launched five new multimodal logistics routes linking Arabian Gulf ports with central and northern Saudi Arabia and extending to the Red Sea and northern border areas. The network integrates road and rail operations through hubs, including the Riyadh Dry Port and key cargo yards in Dammam, Jubail, Ras Al-Khair, Al-Kharj, Hail and Al-Qurayyat, enabling faster movement of petrochemicals and minerals between industrial centres and international shipping lines. | More info | National infrastructure operators |
| Pan Marine Group, an Egyptian maritime and logistics service provider company, through its partnership with DFDS, a Danish international shipping and logistics company, launched a multimodal freight service linking Europe, Egypt and the Gulf. | This Europe-Egypt-the Gulf freight corridor combines maritime shipping and trucking services, allowing truck-carried freight to move directly from Europe to Egypt and into the Gulf via the Port of NEOM in Saudi Arabia. This multimodal corridor offers an alternative to previous container-only flows and enables the movement of critical goods, including fast-moving consumer goods and other time-sensitive cargo. | More info | Regional logistics provider |