Israel attacks on Iran inflame Mideast shipping tensions
There were no immediate reports of attacks on commercial shipping by Iran after Israel attacked nuclear targets there Thursday. But shipping analysts warned that could change amid rising tensions in the region.
As of early Friday vessel traffic was flowing through the Strait of Hormuz between Iran and Oman, the only route out of the Persian Gulf to global shipping lanes. GPS data showed container ships from Taiwan's Wan Hai and CMA CGM of France in the area.
United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), which monitors Middle East shipping, said increased tensions in the region 'could lead to an escalation of military activity having a direct impact on mariners. Vessels are advised to transit the Arabian Gulf, Gulf of Oman and Straits of Hormuz with caution.'
Iran still holds the 14,000-TEU container ship MSC Aries, which it detained in 2024.
The air attacks by Israel also killed two high-level Iranian military leaders.
Maritime analysts said increasing conflict could lead major container carriers to withdraw services in the straits, as attacks by Yemen-based Houthi rebels did in the Red Sea.
'If this leads to major container lines avoiding transits through the Strait of Hormuz, this will severely impact links to the major container terminal transshipment hubs inside the Persian Gulf such as Jebel Ali [in Dubai] and Port Khalifa [in Abu Dhabi], said analyst Lars Jensen, in a LinkedIn post. 'A ripple effect would be a sharp increase in handlings with a high risk of wider Asian congestion issues.'
Iran's state news agency Friday denied reports that it had struck back at Israel with drones. Tehran also accused the United States of aiding Israel's strikes, a charge denied by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
The attacks by Israel pushed West Texas Intermediate crude oil prices by more than 9%, while crude oil futures rose 13%.
Find more articles by Stuart Chirls here.Geopolitical upheaval tops new shipping concerns surveyHouse investigator Yi to lead Marad
Early peak coming as trans-Pacific container rates double
Retailers see cargo surge coming
The post Israel attacks on Iran inflame Mideast shipping tensions appeared first on FreightWaves.
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