On April 20, Maersk released Middle East Operational Update 24. The signal is clear: although there are talk of a "ceasefire" in the market, Maersk still recommends avoiding the Strait of Hormuz and continuing to implement booking and operational restrictions in the Middle East region until navigation safety stabilizes.
Update 24 Key Changes (Highly Recommended)
1) Passing through Hormuz: It is still recommended to avoid it.
Maersk has made it clear that the current situation remains highly volatile, and any policy decisions will be based on ongoing risk assessments. The current conclusion is:Passage through the Strait of Hormuz should continue to be avoided..
2) Restrictions on ocean freight bookings continue/expand
- Many types of goods remain suspended or restricted at ports in Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, eastern Saudi Arabia (Dammam/Al Jubail), and some UAE border crossings.
- The regions where orders can be accepted are mainly concentrated in Jeddah, King Abdullah Port, Jordan, Lebanon, Israel, some ports in Oman, and Khor Fakkan in the UAE (mainly for imports).
- The rules for dangerous goods (DG), oversized goods (OOG), and cold chain (Reefer) are stricter and have exception clauses, requiring verification on a case-by-case basis.
3) New/Continued Emergency Cost Items
Maersk continues to offer the Strait of Hormuz Emergency Freight for shipments to the affected areas.
- 20ft dry case: USD 1800/case
- 40ft dry case: USD 3000/case
- Cold chain/Specialty/DG: USD 3800/box
It also provides three handling options for cargo in transit (continue the voyage and temporarily store it, return it to the port of origin, or change the port), with different costs and timing conditions for each option.
4) Temporary warehousing and demurrage rules are more detailed.
- Emergency shipping fees include 14 days of transit warehousing by default.
- Additional charges will be calculated at USD 25/TEU/day (cold boxes include power supply and monitoring fees).
- At nodes such as Jebel Ali, the billing entities and standards differ for different business models (transit/import/COD).
5) The arrangements for empty container return and container pickup will continue to be adjusted.
- Many regular empty container return points have temporarily suspended accepting them and switched to designated storage yards (such as Salalah and Jeddah).
- PIC fees for non-priority container pick-up locations (charged according to container type and location).
6) Air transport was also affected.
Maersk also provided the following notification during the update:
- FSC will conduct weekly reviews based on market conditions;
- TDS (Transit Disruption Surcharge) continues to execute;
- Renewals without FSC provisions may incorporate a certain percentage into fuel costs.
Practical reminders for foreign trade and cross-border sellers
- Do not quote prices for Middle East routes based on "normal routes".Pricing is calculated separately based on the port of destination, cargo type, and whether it is DG/OOG/cold chain.
- Before placing an order, please confirm whether the order can be accepted and whether the shipment can be made.“Policies for ports vary greatly between countries.
- Include emergency surcharges and warehousing risks in the customer confirmation form.To avoid negotiating prices after the goods have arrived at the transit point.
- For time-sensitive goods, priority should be given to evaluating air freight alternatives, but the upward trend of FSC/TDS should also be monitored.
source
- Maersk's original text:Middle East Operational Update 24
- Maersk Status Page:Red Sea / Gulf of Aden / Hormuz Strait Situation
If you have containers in transit in the Middle East, it is recommended to first check the "container list + destination port feasibility" before deciding whether to continue, change the port, or return the goods.