Quick answer: As of March 2026 the Strait of Hormuz is effectively paralysed, with traffic down about 90% and more than 700 vessels backed up, and Maersk, CMA CGM, MSC and Hapag-Lloyd have suspended Gulf services. Carriers now default to the Cape of Good Hope, adding 10–20 days. For China exporters the practical response is three-fold: re-quote every shipment against a written conflict-surcharge clause, add 10–20 days to promised lead times, and land Gulf cargo through Red Sea transhipment hubs such as Jeddah or Sokhna instead of Jebel Ali or Dammam.
| Article | What it answers |
|---|---|
| Iran Conflict 2026: Impact on Middle East logistics | Affected corridors table, reported cost surcharges (USD 2,000–4,000 per container), rerouting options and 5 practical actions. |
| China to UAE: sea freight vs air freight | Transit times (LCL 25–35 days, FCL 20–30 days, air 3–7 days), a side-by-side comparison table and the decision rule. |
| China to UAE sea freight: import documents | Required vs conditional documents for UAE customs clearance. |
| Saudi Arabia SABER / SASO certificates | Which SABER certificates apply to your goods from China. |
| Best products to import from China to the UAE | Product-side sourcing guide for new UAE importers. |
| China to UAE shipping service page | Baton Logistics UAE lane coverage, modes and quote entry point. |
Not by formal decree, but it is effectively paralysed: traffic through the strait is down about 90% with more than 700 vessels backed up, and Maersk, CMA CGM, MSC and Hapag-Lloyd have suspended Gulf services. Treat Upper Gulf calls as unavailable for planning.
Reported figures: conflict surcharges of up to USD 2,000–4,000 per container (20ft, 40ft or reefer), war-risk insurance premiums tripled, and air freight rates on South Asia–Europe lanes up as much as 70%. Ask your forwarder to itemise all three lines in writing.
Route Upper Gulf cargo through Red Sea transhipment hubs such as Jeddah or Sokhna with a feeder or overland leg, or defer non-urgent shipments. Air freight out of non-Gulf gateways is fastest but capacity is down 50–79%.
UAE and Saudi Arabian clearance both require commodity-specific paperwork prepared in advance — see the UAE import document checklist and the Saudi SABER/SASO certificate guide in this cluster.
Baton Logistics quotes sea and air freight side by side, with consolidation, warehousing and customs clearance included where needed.
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Mar 09，2022
At the beginning of the new year, the most frequently asked question after work is about RCEP. I really want to write an article to introduce it to you, but my ability is limited, and the scope of RCEP is too large. I can only answer some of the most freq
Mar 09，2022
Yes, our service cover all major ports in China areas , like Shanghai / Qingdao / Ningbo/Shenzhen/Guangzhou/Hong Kong etc, Our warehouse facility in these ports are more than 5,000 square meter.
Mar 09，2022
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