Dear Valuable Customer,
At Freight Systems, we are committed to keeping our clients informed about any developments that may affect our services. At Freight Systems, we are committed to keeping our clients informed about developments that may affect global supply chains.
Due to the ongoing escalation of military actions involving the United States, Israel, Iran, and multiple Gulf states, the aviation and freight environment across the Middle East is experiencing significant disruptions.
A sequence of coordinated military strikes and retaliatory missile launches has led to:
- Widespread airspace closures across Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Iraq, and the UAE
- Suspension, reduction, or rerouting of multiple Middle East carrier operations
- Heightened maritime security alerts across critical sea trade corridors
Additionally, maritime authorities have issued urgent advisories indicating:
- The Strait of Hormuz is reported to be “practically closed” following recent strikes.
- A large maritime warning zone has been declared across the Persian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, and North Arabian Sea.
- Hundreds of commercial vessels, including container ships and tankers, were reported within the Strait during the escalation.
- Several global shipping lines have begun rerouting vessels away from the Red Sea and Gulf region, reverting to longer routes such as the Cape of Good Hope.
These developments are creating significant operational pressure across air, sea, and multimodal networks.
Force Majeure Notice
In light of the ongoing military escalation, airspace closures, maritime restrictions, government directives, and security-related disruptions across the Middle East, these events may constitute Force Majeure under applicable international carriage conventions and contractual terms. Accordingly, delays, rerouting, schedule changes, service suspensions, and additional charges, including but not limited to war risk surcharges, insurance adjustments, fuel increases, congestion fees, and security-related costs, may arise without prior notice.
Impact on Freight Movement
This situation affects all major freight modes:
Air Freight
- Airspace closures are causing flight suspensions and diversions, significantly limiting cargo lift capacity via the Gulf region.
- Major hubs such as Doha (DOH), Dubai (DXB), Abu Dhabi (AUH), Kuwait (KWI), and other regional gateways are operationally constrained.
- Transit times are increasing due to longer rerouted flight paths and reduced frequencies.
Backlogs and space shortages are expected in the short term.
Sea Freight
- The Strait of Hormuz disruption is impacting vessel movement and schedule reliability.
- Rerouting via the Cape of Good Hope is increasing transit times significantly on certain trade lanes.
- Carriers may apply increased insurance premiums and war risk surcharges.
- Port congestion and container imbalances are likely as cargo shifts from air to sea.
Road Freight
- GCC road corridors remain operational and currently offer the most stable regional alternative.
- Cross-border trucking between the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, and other GCC states continues, subject to security clearance.
- Enhanced border inspections and security screenings may increase transit time.
- Driver movement restrictions or route diversions may be implemented depending on local advisories.
At Freight Systems, we are implementing a multi-layered operating strategy:
- Alternate routing of air cargo where possible, using unaffected airspace and partner carriers
- Re-allocation of shipments to sea and road freight to mitigate air capacity shortages
- Real-time updates and tracking visibility for all impacted shipments
- Dedicated operations support to assist with rescheduling, documentation, and customs compliance
What Clients Should Expect
Transit conditions remain fluid. As the regional situation evolves:
- Delays in air freight are likely until airspace restrictions are
- Sea freight transit times may increase due to greater volume and limited
- Road freight will continue where corridors remain secure, but may be affected by border protocols and security checks.
We are actively monitoring shipment routes, rerouting freight where possible, and prioritizing the handling of critical shipments to mitigate delays. Customers are encouraged to adjust shipment timelines, prioritize urgent shipments by coordinating with our team, and rely on regular updates to plan inventory and operations effectively during this period. Freight Systems remains committed to supporting your supply chain needs, ensuring flexibility and reliability even in challenging conditions. If you need any further assistance, please reach out to your respective customer service or your commercial representative at Freight Systems. Thank you for your understanding and continued trust in our services.
We extend our sincere wishes for the safety and well-being of you and your family during this time.
Regards,
Team Freight Systems
