The conflict in the Middle East has hit shipping giants hard: Hapag-Lloyd is losing tens of millions of dollars every week, and Maersk warns that the waterway may be closed for a long time

Sunny Worldwide LogisticsIt is a logistics company with more than 20 years of transportation experience, focusing on markets such as Europe, the United States, Canada, Australia, and Southeast Asia. It is more of a cargo owner than a cargo owner~

Recently, Hapag-Lloyd and Maersk have successively issued warnings about the serious impact of conflicts in the Middle East on their operations. Hapag-Lloyd admitted that due to the conflict, the company faced additional costs of 40 million to 50 million US dollars per week, and this burden has been unbearable for a long time. Maersk warned that the Strait of Hormuz may be closed to commercial cargo ships for a long time, and the global shipping network is facing deep restructuring.

Data disclosed by Hapag-Lloyd shows that the conflict in the Middle East has caused six ships and 150 crew members to be trapped in the Persian Gulf, and the transportation of approximately 25,000 to 50,000 TEUs of cargo has been blocked. The additional costs mainly come from three aspects: a significant increase in fuel consumption, a surge in war risk insurance rates, and a significant extension of the voyage caused by circumnavigating the Cape of Good Hope. The company said it must respond to this pressure through cost savings, network optimization and cost sharing with customers.

Maersk pointed out that the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz is reshaping the global shipping network pattern, and commercial cargo ships may face traffic disruptions for several months or even longer. Coupled with the continued disruption caused by the Red Sea crisis, supply chain uncertainty will further intensify. The company said its immediate priority is to ensure operational safety while maintaining service continuity through diversions and other transfer options.

Judging from the performance of the two giants in 2025, despite facing downward freight rates and early deviation cost pressures, they have still achieved relatively stable performance due to the growth in transportation volume and the network optimization of the Gemini Alliance. However, the Middle East conflict will escalate at the beginning of 2026, and additional cost surges and route disruptions will further squeeze profit margins.

This statement is not only a disclosure of risks, but also a clear signal to shippers: logistics costs will continue to rise in the future, potential delays are inevitable, and cargo owners need to cope with supply chain uncertainty by increasing inventory buffers or diversifying procurement.