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COSCO Shipping Lines reopened cargo bookings to Gulf countries from March 25, resuming services suspended on March 4 due to Middle East escalations and Strait of Hormuz restrictions
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Suspension affected shipments to and from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, and Oman
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Halt was triggered by a risk assessment to protect vessels, cargo, and crew amid regional uncertainty
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Services are resuming with new multimodal arrangements that combine sea and overland routes, instead of direct sailings
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Cargo will arrive at UAE ports Khorfakkan or Fujairah, then move overland to Abu Dhabi and Jebel Ali, before being distributed via feeder vessels to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Iraq
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Shipments to Oman will be routed via India before reaching Sohar
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COSCO cautioned that bookings, routes, and schedules remain subject to change depending on Middle East conditions
COSCO Shipping Lines resumed cargo bookings to Gulf destinations from March 25, ending a three-week suspension triggered by escalating Middle East tensions and restrictions on maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.
Direct sailings are no longer available, with shipments now transferring via a mix of sea and overland routes designed to maintain cargo flow while reducing exposure to the region’s most volatile corridors.
The Chinese carrier, one of the world’s largest container shipping companies, had halted all new bookings on March 4 after conducting a risk assessment to protect its vessels, cargo, and crew amid rapidly deteriorating conditions in the Middle East. The suspension covered shipments from global origins to Qatar, Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, most UAE ports, and Saudi Arabia, as well as outbound cargo from those markets.
Under the new multimodal arrangements, shipments will no longer take direct routes into the Gulf. Instead, cargo will be discharged at UAE ports — specifically Khorfakkan or Fujairah — before moving overland to major logistics hubs including Abu Dhabi and Jebel Ali. From there, feeder vessels will carry goods onward to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Iraq.
Shipments bound for Oman will follow a separate routing via (Nhava Sheva) India before reaching the port of Sohar in Oman.
COSCO said the reconfigured network is designed to maintain cargo movement while reducing exposure to more sensitive maritime zones in the region. The carrier included a caution, noting that bookings, routes, and schedules might change as Middle East conditions develop.
“Please note that the above new booking arrangement and the actual carriage are subject to change due to the volatile situation in the Middle East region. For specific booking arrangements, freight charges, and terms of carriage, please contact our local agent or your sales/customer service representative or our company directly,” COSCO stated in a customer advisory.
