Conflict in the Middle East leaves around 140 container ships stranded in the Gulf.

The escalation of the conflict in the Middle East is causing severe disruptions to container shipping, with around 140 ships stranded in the Gulf, in a clear sign of the pressure that regional insecurity is already putting on one of the most sensitive areas of world trade.

According to consultancy Alphaliner, at the beginning of March, 138 container ships with a combined capacity of close to 470,000 TEU were sheltering in the Gulf, after security concerns led several carriers to suspend ship movements in the Strait of Hormuz and Bab-el-Mandeb.

The deterioration of the regional situation, following US and Israeli air strikes against Iran, is forcing operators to reevaluate routes, stopovers and navigation conditions. Among the most affected shipowners are MSC and CMA CGM. MSC will have 15 ships in this situation, representing around 109 thousand TEUs, while CMA CGM has 14 vessels, equivalent to 70 thousand TEUs. Among the ships mentioned is the MSC Clara, with a capacity of 19,224 TEU. The port of Jebel Ali, in the United Arab Emirates, is acting as a temporary refuge for some of these ships, housing around 20 vessels. Still, instability remains high, especially after reports emerged of an air attack that had caused a fire near the port.

Alphaliner estimates that this disruption could affect around 10.7% of the global container fleet, in a context where more than 120 scheduled services normally call at Gulf ports.

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