The disruption around the Strait of Hormuz and escalating tensions in the Red Sea are redrawing global shipping patterns, turning parts of Africa into key transit hubs, according to maritime and logistics sources.
Over the past two months, restricted access to Gulf ports has forced shipowners to rely on alternative land corridors. With direct maritime routes cut off, food supplies and manufactured goods are increasingly being transported inland by truck after arriving at substitute ports.
Alternative delivery routes to Gulf countries
Saudi Arabia’s Port of Jeddah has emerged as a central logistics hub. Major shipping lines like MSC, CMA CGM, Maersk and COSCO are routing vessels through the Suez Canal to Jeddah.
From there, cargo is transported overland across desert highways to destinations such as Sharjah, Bahrain and Kuwait—markets that have seen limited or no direct sea access in recent weeks.
However, Jeddah is struggling under the surge. According to logistics experts, port congestion is rising sharply, with vessels facing significantly longer waiting times before unloading.
To ease pressure, shipping companies are also using ports outside the Hormuz chokepoint, including Port of Sohar in Oman and the UAE’s Port of Khorfakkan and Port of Fujairah. These are linked by road networks that allow goods to move inland across the region.
Elsewhere, Port of Aqaba is being used to supply Iraq, with shipments moving onward to Baghdad and Basra. A parallel Turkish corridor is also facilitating access to northern Iraq.
Why Asia–Europe ships are avoiding traditional routes
Even before the current Gulf crisis, shipping companies had begun steering clear of the Red Sea route. The shift dates back to late 2023, following attacks on commercial vessels near the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait.
Today, rerouting has become standard practice. Ships traveling between Asia and Europe are increasingly bypassing the Suez Canal altogether, instead sailing down Africa’s eastern coast and around the Cape of Good Hope before heading north into the Mediterranean.
This detour now accounts for roughly 70% of the traffic that once passed through the Red Sea corridor.
Consequences for global trade
The impact has been significant:
- Transit times between Asia and Europe have increased by about two weeks.
- Fuel consumption has risen by 30–50%, pushing up shipping costs.
- More vessels (10–20% extra) are needed to maintain schedules.
Freight rates have climbed accordingly, with the cost of shipping a standard 40-foot container rising by around 14% year-on-year in April.
The shift has also created winners and losers. African ports—such as Tanger Med—are seeing increased traffic and record container volumes. Meanwhile, Egypt has suffered a sharp decline in revenue from the Suez Canal, losing billions of dollars due to reduced transit.
Overall, the ongoing disruptions are not just temporary detours—they are reshaping global trade flows, infrastructure use, and cost structures in ways that may persist well beyond the current crisis.
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