Freight Shifts to Road as Middle East Disruptions Pressure Supply Chains

Disruptions to maritime and air routes in the Middle East are pushing freight forwarders to shift cargo to road transport, despite ongoing infrastructure and capacity constraints.

The changes follow disruptions to key shipping lanes, including the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which previously handled around 3,000 vessels per month. Air routes linking Asia and Europe have also been impacted, reducing available capacity across major trade corridors.

In response, logistics providers are increasingly turning to land-based solutions to maintain cargo flows into and across the region. The Qatar Chamber has urged companies to register with the International Road Transport system to facilitate cross-border trucking via Saudi Arabia.

Carriers including CMA CGM, Hapag-Lloyd, Maersk, Ocean Network Express, and Zim Integrated Shipping Services have begun offering road-based alternatives or contingency solutions for affected shipments. CMA CGM is supporting cargo movements through road corridors linking Jeddah in Saudi Arabia to destinations including the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Iraq, while Maersk has also offered options such as temporary storage or returning cargo to origin ports.

Despite remaining operational, road freight networks are facing growing pressure as volumes shift away from air and ocean modes. Industry updates point to increasing congestion, customs delays, and capacity constraints across key land corridors, as infrastructure struggles to accommodate higher volumes of containerised cargo over longer distances.

At the same time, the shift to road transport is driving higher costs. Fuel surcharges ranging from $30 to $300 per TEU are being applied as transport providers adjust to rising fuel prices and increased demand. Road freight is more exposed to fuel volatility compared to maritime shipping, with fuel accounting for a significant portion of operating costs.

Operational challenges are also more pronounced across land transport networks. Road freight is more vulnerable to congestion, border delays, driver shortages, and regulatory restrictions, all of which can impact transit times and reliability.

As a result, logistics providers are also exploring alternative multimodal solutions. New corridors through Central Asia are being considered to connect production hubs in China, as well as manufacturing centres in Vietnam and Cambodia, with European markets. Improvements in regional infrastructure, particularly in Kazakhstan, are supporting the viability of these routes.

Rail is also gaining attention as a potential alternative, offering more predictable costs compared to road transport, which remains heavily dependent on diesel fuel.

While road freight is helping to maintain cargo movement in the short term, capacity constraints, infrastructure limitations, and rising costs continue to present challenges for supply chains operating in and around the Middle East.

By: Trade Finance Global