The Iran conflict has abruptly flipped the container shipping market from overcapacity to supply crunch, with 750 vessels trapped in risk zones and war risk insurers withdrawing coverage – a combination not seen since the COVID disruption peak. Industry leaders at TPM are drawing direct parallels to pandemic-era disruptions, signaling potential for extreme rate volatility. Logistics operators should immediately review spot exposure, secure forward capacity on alternative routings, and validate insurance cover validity for affected trade lanes.
Rate Direction
Rates up +40.00%
Time Horizon
immediate
Confidence
62%
Routes Affected
Strait of Hormuz / Persian Gulf / Red Sea / Indian Ocean / Suez Canal / Cape of Good Hope
Ports / Terminals
Jebel Ali / Bandar Abbas / Fujairah / Port Said / Salalah / Karachi / Mundra
Carriers
MSC / Maersk / CMA CGM / Hapag-Lloyd / COSCO / Evergreen / ONE / Yang Ming / HMM / ZIM
Source
https://gcaptain.com/iran-conflict-container-shipping-crisis-hormuz/published 03 Mar 2026, 16:29 UTC