Maersk has announced temporary suspensions and emergency freight charges across the Middle East as the volatile regional situation continues to disrupt shipping, reports a Maersk advisory.

Landside bookings have been paused on cargo moving between UAE, Qatar, Jeddah and Oman ports. Available landbridge solutions include exports from Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and UAE via Salalah and Khor Fakkan, and from Iraq via Aqaba. Imports are accepted from Jeddah to Riyadh and Dammam, and from UAE and Oman ports to inland destinations.

Ocean bookings face widespread suspensions. Reefer cargo is halted to and from Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and UAE, except limited imports via Khor Fakkan and Jebel Ali. Dangerous goods bookings are suspended across most Gulf ports, though restrictions have been lifted at Haifa and Ashdod in Israel.

Out-of-gauge and in-gauge cargo bookings are also suspended to and from UAE, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, with limited acceptance via Jeddah, Aqaba, King Abdullah, Salalah, Sohar and Khor Fakkan. Dry cargo bookings are restricted, though shipments of food, medicine and perishables will receive special attention.

Maersk has introduced an emergency freight rate to cover alternative routing and storage. Charges are set at US$1,800 for 20-foot dry containers, $3,000 for 40-foot dry containers, and $3,800 for reefer, special and dangerous goods units. An additional $1,000 per container applies to vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz.

The company said the measures are necessary to safeguard cargo integrity and maintain network stability while conditions remain highly volatile.