Route Pulse
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Hormuz and Bab-el-Mandeb both blocked
All GCC Gulf ports cut off from international sea access, Jeddah closed to east-bound cargo, as US-Iran shuttle diplomacy begins at UN.
Corridor status
Act Now
GCC Ports — Hormuz DependentKWI Shuwaikh & Shuaiba, Kuwait · KAD Khalifa Port, Abu Dhabi · DMM King Abdulaziz Port, Dammam · DOH Hamad Port, Doha · JAL Jebel Ali Port, Dubai · BAH Khalifa bin Salman, Bahrain
What’s happening
The Strait of Hormuz remains operationally closed under the ongoing US-Iran conflict, now in its seventh month. Vessel crossings fell to just two on Monday 22 September — down from a pre-war normal of approximately 125 large commercial vessels per day — confirming that international deep-sea cargo access to all Arabian Gulf ports is suspended. Iran has indicated it could reopen the Strait within seven days if US military pressure eases and American port blockades are lifted, but shuttle talks at the UN have produced no agreement and conditions remain contested.
What to do
Review safety stock upward for all Gulf-destined SKUs — replenishment via sea is not viable and no reopening timeline is confirmed.
TodayHalt new sea freight bookings to JAL, KAD, DMM, DOH, and KWI immediately.
TodayReview safety stock upward for Gulf-destined SKUs across all categories.
TomorrowAudit in-transit Gulf-bound shipments and identify diversion options at KHF or FUJ.
TomorrowContact suppliers on extended lead times — do not assume historical arrival windows.
This weekRecalculate reorder points using extended lead time assumptions for all Gulf ports.
This weekAssess contingency sourcing for critical SKUs if Hormuz closure extends further.
Watch
GCC Ports — Outside HormuzKHF Khor Fakkan, UAE — east coast · FUJ Fujairah, UAE — east coast · SOH Port of Sohar, Oman · SLL Port of Salalah, Oman — south coast
What’s happening
Khor Fakkan and Sohar are absorbing Hormuz diversion traffic, with Sohar also handling ship-to-ship oil transfers as Saudi Arabia routes crude around the closed Strait. Both ports are recording above-baseline vessel activity, but berthing queues are building offshore — call counts measure successful berths only, not waiting time. Salalah and Fujairah are at or near baseline but face the same dual-corridor diversion pressure.
What to do
These ports can receive cargo but are operating under elevated pressure — validate berthing windows with your forwarder before committing to lead times.
TodayConfirm berthing slot availability at KHF and SOH before routing additional volume.
TodayFlag KHF and FUJ bookings for extended dwell and berthing delay risk.
TomorrowReview dwell time trends at SOH — ship-to-ship oil activity may compete for anchorage.
TomorrowVerify carrier capacity at SLL for Cape-routed Asia-origin cargo.
This weekModel lead time variability upward for all outside-Hormuz ports under current diversion load.
This weekIdentify secondary inland distribution options for cargo landed at KHF or SOH.
BAB Exposed
Red Sea — Bab-el-MandebJED Jeddah Islamic Port, Saudi Arabia
What’s happening
The Houthi naval blockade against Saudi-bound shipping, declared 20 July 2026, remains in force. Houthi forces have made territorial gains along Yemen's Red Sea coast and are battling Saudi-backed forces for strategic highland positions — G7 foreign ministers condemned the attacks and called on Iran to stop arming the group on 22 September. The Bab-el-Mandeb corridor is operationally closed to east-bound cargo; Jeddah receives only northern-approach (Suez-origin) and intra-Red Sea traffic and cannot be booked for Asia, India, or East Africa origin shipments.
What to do
Do not route east-bound cargo via Jeddah — the southern approach is closed and all such cargo must divert via Cape of Good Hope, adding 12–14 days to affected lanes.
TodayConfirm no active bookings route east-bound cargo through Jeddah or Bab-el-Mandeb.
TodayFlag all Red Sea lane shipments for Cape rerouting and extended lead time review.
TomorrowRecalculate arrival dates for Cape-routed cargo using the 12–14 day extension.
This weekReview reorder points for Saudi Red Sea-destined SKUs with extended lead time assumptions.
This weekMonitor Houthi territorial gains along Red Sea coast for escalation affecting SLL or corridor access.
Port status
KWIShuwaikh & Shuaiba, KuwaitAct Now
Shuwaikh and Shuaiba Ports in Kuwait City have recorded zero vessel calls over the 14-day period, confirming complete cessation of commercial arrivals. Kuwait's ports sit at the head of the Arabian Gulf — the most Hormuz-dependent location in the system. With the Strait operationally closed since 22 June 2026, no international vessels are reaching Kuwait. The port infrastructure remains operational but inaccessible by sea.
You cannot reliably schedule cargo through Kuwait. Halt all bookings and review safety stock upward immediately — restocking via sea is not viable under current conditions.
Vessel Calls0 calls — normal: ~2/week. Complete cessation.
Alternative Route via
SOH · truck to Kuwait (~1,500km · 16–17h)Watch
JED · truck to Kuwait (~1,650km · 17–19h) — if Red Sea accessibleSecondary
KADKhalifa Port, Abu DhabiHormuz Exposed
The Strait of Hormuz is operationally closed. Khalifa Port, Abu Dhabi is recording above-baseline vessel activity — roughly two vessels per day against a normal of fewer than two — but this reflects intra-Gulf coastal traffic only. International deep-sea vessels cannot transit the Strait to reach this port. The above-baseline reading does not indicate Hormuz has reopened or that commercial bookings are viable.
Do not route international inbound shipments to Khalifa Port — no sea access exists until Hormuz reopens. Review safety stock upward for KAD-destined SKUs.
Vessel Calls~2/day, above norm — intra-Gulf traffic only
Alternative Route via
KHF · truck to Abu Dhabi (~250km · 2.5–3h)Watch
FUJ · truck to Abu Dhabi (~265km · 2.5–3h)Secondary
DMMKing Abdulaziz Port, DammamHormuz Exposed
The Strait of Hormuz is operationally closed. King Abdulaziz Port, Dammam is recording roughly one to two vessels per day — close to its pre-war baseline — but this reflects intra-Gulf coastal traffic only. International vessels cannot transit the Strait. Saudi Arabia has been increasing crude oil loadings from Gulf terminals after the East-West pipeline attack on 11 September, but these are tanker movements within the Gulf, not evidence of restored international access.
Do not route international inbound shipments to Dammam — no sea access exists until Hormuz reopens. Review safety stock upward for DMM-destined SKUs.
Vessel Calls~1–2/day, near baseline — intra-Gulf traffic only
Alternative Route via
JED · truck to Dammam (~1,050km · 11–12h) — if Red Sea accessiblePrimary
SOH · truck to Dammam (~1,200km · 12–13h)Secondary
DOHHamad Port, DohaHormuz Exposed
The Strait of Hormuz is operationally closed. Hamad Port, Doha is recording roughly one vessel per day — slightly below its pre-war baseline of about one per day — but all activity is intra-Gulf coastal traffic. International deep-sea cargo cannot reach Qatar via the Strait. Qatar's LNG exports have been severely affected, with QatarEnergy vessels observed conducting ship-to-ship transfers outside the Strait.
Do not route international inbound shipments to Doha — no sea access exists until Hormuz reopens. Review safety stock upward for DOH-destined SKUs.
Vessel Calls~1/day, slightly below norm — intra-Gulf only
Alternative Route via
SOH · truck to Doha (~700km · 7–8h)Watch
JED · truck to Doha (~1,300km · 13–15h) — if Red Sea accessibleSecondary
JALJebel Ali Port, DubaiHormuz Exposed
The Strait of Hormuz is operationally closed. Vessel activity recorded at Jebel Ali — running close to its pre-war rate of about five vessels per day — reflects intra-Gulf coastal traffic only: short-haul vessels operating entirely within the Arabian Gulf that do not transit the Strait. International container ships and deep-sea cargo cannot reach or depart this port. Iran's conditions for reopening remain unmet as of 24 September.
Do not route international inbound shipments to Jebel Ali — no sea access exists until Hormuz reopens. Review safety stock upward for JAL-destined SKUs.
Vessel Calls~5/day — intra-Gulf only, Hormuz closed
Alternative Route via
KHF · truck to Dubai (~130km · 1.5–2h)Watch
FUJ · truck to Dubai (~150km · ~2h)Secondary
BAHKhalifa bin Salman, BahrainOverland Only
Bahrain receives all container cargo overland via Saudi Arabia through the King Fahd Causeway. No direct container vessel service exists at Khalifa bin Salman Port.
Coordinate all Bahrain supply overland via Saudi Arabia — assess Saudi land border capacity given current regional disruption.
Vessel Calls0 calls — no container vessel baseline exists
Alternative Route via
SOH · Saudi → King Fahd Causeway (~750km · 8–9h)Watch
JED · Saudi → Bahrain (~1,350km · 13–15h) — if Red Sea accessibleSecondary
KHFKhor Fakkan, UAE — east coastWatch
Khor Fakkan is absorbing Hormuz diversion traffic and is recording vessel activity near its normal rate of roughly one to two vessels per day. Vessel call counts reflect successful berths only — anchor queues are building as diverted cargo competes for slots. With both Hormuz and Bab-el-Mandeb disrupted simultaneously, this port is under dual-corridor diversion pressure. Validate berthing windows before committing.
Validate slot availability and expected berthing delay with your forwarder before booking — do not assume historical lead times hold.
Vessel Calls~1–2/day, near normal but absorbing diversion
FUJFujairah, UAE — east coastWatch
Fujairah is recording vessel activity at its normal rate of roughly six to seven vessels per day, largely driven by its role as a bunker fuel and oil hub. With Hormuz closed, the port is receiving additional traffic, including vessels involved in regional oil operations. Vessel call counts do not capture offshore anchor queues. Dual-corridor diversion pressure from both Hormuz and Bab-el-Mandeb is present.
Confirm slot availability before booking container cargo through Fujairah — extended berthing delays are possible under current diversion load.
Vessel Calls~6–7/day, slightly above norm, diversion traffic present
SOHPort of Sohar, OmanWatch
Sohar is recording above-baseline vessel activity — roughly six vessels per day against a normal of about five — driven by its role as a ship-to-ship oil transfer hub for Saudi crude bypassing the Hormuz closure. This oil operations activity competes with container berth capacity. With dual-corridor disruption from both Hormuz and Bab-el-Mandeb, Sohar is under elevated pressure and anchor queues may be building offshore despite normalappearing call counts.
Validate berthing availability and expected delay before routing container cargo through Sohar — oil transfer operations are competing for anchorage and berth capacity.
Vessel Calls~6/day vs norm ~5/day — elevated, oil transfer activity
SLLPort of Salalah, Oman — south coastWatch
Salalah is recording vessel activity at its normal rate of roughly six vessels per day. As the primary Cape diversion transshipment hub, it is absorbing cargo rerouted away from both the Hormuz and Bab-el-Mandeb corridors. Portcall counts reflect successful berths only — queue pressure may be building offshore. No further fallback hub exists if Salalah congests.
Validate berthing windows at Salalah before booking Cape-routed transshipments — this port is the last fallback and congestion here has no alternative.
Vessel Calls~6/day, at baseline — absorbing Cape diversion
JEDJeddah Islamic Port, Saudi ArabiaBAB Exposed
Bab-el-Mandeb is operationally closed under the Houthi naval blockade declared 20 July 2026. Jeddah is recording roughly three vessels per day, down from its normal five — these calls reflect only European-origin cargo arriving via Suez from the north and intra-Red Sea coastal vessels. East-bound cargo from Asia, India, and East Africa cannot reach Jeddah via the southern approach. The Houthi East-West pipeline attack on 11 September further disrupted Saudi oil logistics and Houthi forces continue to advance along the Red Sea coast.
Do not book east-bound cargo to Jeddah — the Bab-el-Mandeb approach is closed. Suez-origin cargo from Europe may still arrive, but verify routing with your carrier.
Vessel Calls~3/day vs norm ~5/day — northern approach only
Sources
- PortWatch IMF — Vessel call counts, 14-day rolling means, baseline deviations, and congestion tier for all 11 ports
- Reuters — Hormuz vessel traffic data (fallen to two crossings on 22 Sep), US-Iran shuttle diplomacy at UNGA, Iran reopening conditions, Saudi East-West pipeline attack detail, Saudi Gulf crude loadings, Houthi military activity, Yemen displacement figures, JP Morgan oil market commentary
- Al Jazeera — Sohar ship-to-ship oil transfer operations, Houthi Red Sea coast advances, Saudi alternative oil routing analysis, Turkiye-Saudi defence posture, Italy Bab-el-Mandeb warship deployment
- BBC — G7 statement condemning Houthi attacks and calling on Iran to stop arming Houthis
- TradeWinds — VLCC rate context and newbuilding cycle intelligence in current shipping environment
Route Pulse provides supply chain intelligence for informational purposes only. Data sourced from PortWatch (IMF) and public news sources. Always verify with your freight forwarder before making commercial decisions.