Middle East Tension Escalation - March 3, 2026 - Update 2

The following outlines the latest updates on shipping industry disruption in the Middle East following military escalations on Saturday, February 28.

This is a fluid situation in a war zone, with the potential for rapid change. Please see individual Product updates in the sections below for more details. 

Red = Closed, suspended, or materially restricted operations, no releases, closures, or airport/port shutdowns
Amber = Partial, open but disrupted (partial restrictions, delays, inspections not occurring, high uncertainty)
Green = Operational, but shipments may still experience delays

Product Status

Air Freight

As of March 3, a limited number of cargo, repositioning, and repatriation flights are operating from Abu Dhabi (AUH) and Dubai (DXB/DWC) under strict regulatory approvals and controlled airspace corridors. These flights are primarily focused on clearing backlog cargo, supporting essential supply chains, and repositioning aircraft.

Israeli airspace remains closed to routine civil aviation; however, selected freighter and repatriation flights are operating into and out of Tel Aviv (TLV) with prior government and security approvals. These movements are limited in frequency and capacity and primarily support essential cargo and national repatriation requirements.

Qatari airspace remains closed, and all scheduled commercial passenger and cargo flights to and from Doha (DOH) are suspended. Qatar Airways continues to halt regular operations pending clearance from the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority. Only very limited repatriation or government‑approved movements may operate on an exceptional basis. No regular cargo schedules are available, and acceptance of new freight is not permitted until further notice.

Any permitted movements remain subject to sudden cancellation or delay.

Airspace Status

Note: The fact that a NOTAM or carrier notice has expired does not necessarily mean that the situation has returned to normal.

Airline Status – Middle Eastern Carriers

Airline Status – Other Carriers to the Middle East

Ocean Freight

As of March 3, 2026, the Strait of Hormuz remains closed, and more carriers are announcing service suspensions and diversions. There are several vessels on either side of the strait and in the strait as well. A total of five vessels have been hit in the conflict, four while trying to transit the strait and one in the port of Bahrain. 
 
Carriers are increasingly suspending bookings to and from the Gulf and, in some cases, also the Red Sea. 
 
CMA, ONE, and MSC have suspended services in and out of the Middle East, while Hapag & Maersk continue to watch bookings but, for now, have restricted reefer and hazardous cargo bookings. If this situation continues, we anticipate that many or all carriers will follow suit and cease all acceptance to the Gulf.
 
As of today, carriers are still assessing alternative discharge and loading ports to keep the flow of cargo going; potentially Oman, Sohar, Salalah, UAE - Khor Fakkan, Fujairah, and Colombo, but yet to firm discharge ports. In some cases, carriers are looking to make these decisions based on each vessel. 
 
From a commercial outlook standpoint, carriers have announced cost adjustments such as War Risk Surcharges, Emergency Operational fees, and Contingency Surcharge
 
Ports in the Middle East are operational, with the exception of Jebel Ali, Bahrain, Qatar, and Kuwait, where operations are temporarily suspended.  Ports in Saudi Arabia have also seen short windows of closure. 
 
Delays at all Middle Eastern ports continue to intensify, and the slowdown can also cause extended container dwell times at ports, detention and demurrage, and a potential increase in port congestion in the region.
 
Additionally, we see some impact in the Indian Subcontinent, with Middle East cargo and bookings going on hold. A large inventory of containers sitting at Mundra is unable to ship or even withdraw from the port. leading to potential congestion in this port.  

Ground Freight

From Dubai to all Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, Jordan, and Egypt:

• FTL service is fully available

• LTL is operating as usual with previously planned departures 

From all GCC countries, Egypt, and Jordan to the UAE and other GCC destinations: 

• Services remain available and can be arranged  

 LTL to Bahrain is temporarily closed as the free zone is not operational.  

Warehousing & Distribution

Expeditors warehouse operations across the Middle East are as follows: 

Customs Brokerage

Customs and port operations across the Middle East remain disrupted and inconsistent, with several markets operating under restrictions that continue to impact clearance timelines and shipment flow.

• Experiencing Significant Constraints  

  While Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates are showing slight improvement, it—along with Bahrain—continues to experience significant disruption driven by airport closures, port limitations, inspection stoppages, and reduced customs staffing. Shipments may experience delays beyond standard clearance timelines or may be unable to clear until conditions stabilize.

• Operating with Constraints 

  Lebanon, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia remain operational but are subject to ongoing constraints, including customs staffing shortages and paused arrivals at select ports. Some shipments are clearing; however, conditions remain fluid, and delays may emerge with limited notice. 

• Operating

  Oman, Jordan, and Egypt continue to operate, with minimal to no clearance delays currently reported. 

  Shipments may experience delays beyond standard clearance timelines or may be unable to clear until conditions stabilize. 

Expeditors provides Operational Impact updates from time to time as a complementary service for our customers who seek general information to help them navigate supply chain disruptions. We draw from publicly available sources that we believe to be reliable. That said, supply chain disruption events are inherently fluid and complex. Operational Impact information may be incomplete or inaccurate or may differ for your supply chain. Please contact your local Expeditors representative for the latest cargo status and routing updates for your supply chain circumstances.