A.P. Moller-Maersk (Maersk) has moved to restructure its Middle East transhipment network, pulling selected Gulf-bound cargo away from Jeddah and rerouting it through alternative hubs as the carrier braces for peak season demand amid continued Strait of Hormuz disruption.
Cargo destined for Kuwait, Iraq, Qatar, Bahrain and the UAE will now tranship via Salalah and Khor Fakkan, with onward movement via landbridge to Sharjah and feeder connections to final Gulf destinations.
The change applies with immediate effect and takes Jeddah out of the transhipment chain for non-Saudi Gulf cargo entirely.
Shipments booked to Jeddah, where the consignee is located outside Saudi Arabia, will similarly be redirected via Khor Fakkan.
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Only cargo with a confirmed Saudi port of discharge or inland delivery point — including Riyadh and Dammam via the Jeddah landbridge — will continue to move through the Red Sea port unchanged.
Maersk has flagged potential additional charges for affected customers, who will receive individual notification.
The decision underlines the sustained strain on Middle East maritime logistics since the Strait of Hormuz closure rerouted significant cargo volumes onto Red Sea and Gulf of Oman corridors.
Jeddah’s emergence as an alternative transhipment hub has placed increasing demands on its capacity, and Maersk’s adjustment signals a deliberate effort to redistribute load across the network before volumes climb further.
For more information:
Maersk – https://www.maersk.com/
