Container Reroutings via Hormuz Surge 360%
11 march
# Market News
Military activity around the Strait of Hormuz has led to a sharp increase in container shipping reroutings. According to analytics platform project44, the number of rerouted voyages has risen by 360%.
As of March 10, the average daily number of deviations from planned routes increased from 218 to 1,010. The peak was recorded on March 5, with 2,363 reroutings in a single day—the highest figure ever observed in the Hormuz corridor.
The main flow of reroutings was concentrated at the ports of Jebel Ali, Abu Dhabi, and Hamad. Additional volumes were redirected through alternative hubs, including Khor Fakkan and Sohar, as well as ports outside the region, such as Hambantota, Mundra, and Mumbai.
With the shift in routes, congestion is moving beyond the Persian Gulf. Notably, delays at Indian ports are rising: vessel arrivals at Mundra may be postponed by up to 49 days, while departures from Navi Mumbai have seen delays increase by 118%.
Project44 data indicate that MSC accounts for approximately 59% of all recorded route deviations.
Shipping lines continue to adapt operations. Hapag-Lloyd regularly updates information on booking suspensions, surcharges, and service changes, while Maersk has implemented special contingency plans for vessels passing through the region.
Meanwhile, fleet congestion remains high, with around 147 container ships currently in the Persian Gulf, exacerbating bottlenecks and affecting transit performance.
According to project44, some regional ports have effectively lost direct access to ocean routes, forcing carriers to rely on intermediate hubs and increasing the risk of further schedule instability on Middle East and South Asia trade lanes.
