On May 4th, Hapag-Lloyd announced that booking for third-party feeder services to and from the northern part of the Persian Gulf has been reopened. This adjustment enables goods from Kuwait, Saudi Arabia (Dammam), Qatar, Iraq and the United Arab Emirates to bypass the Strait of Hormuz for passage.
At the operational level, Hamburger Hansa has designated Sharjah as a key transshipment hub port, enabling the transportation of goods to enter the northern region of the Persian Gulf through this port. It also supports booking of general cargo containers, refrigerated containers, and special containers.
In terms of regional connectivity, the bonded transportation link between Shāghā and the Hāwāfīkan Port is extended to ports in Oman and India. This creates a combined channel of maritime and land transportation.
The announcement states that the feeder vessels do not have fixed weekly schedules. The sailing schedule will be adjusted dynamically based on the regional security situation. The transit time for bonded transportation from Sharjah to Houffekhan Port is approximately 5 days. Local import and export goods in the UAE can be transferred inland through the bonded trucks in Sharjah.
In addition to the above-mentioned solutions, the Hamburger Hiddensee Channel (CH carrier trailer solution) is still available for customers to use.
Overall, Hapag-Lloyd's current adjustment is achieved through the "branching vessel network + land transportation connection" approach, aiming to establish an alternative logistics route bypassing the Strait of Hormuz.
Please note to all shippers and freight forwarders: Keep track of the price trends of each shipping route. Before shipping, please check the latest shipping schedules and price information and make a detailed shipping plan in advance.