On 4 May 2026, the US announced “Project Freedom” — a US Navy-led operation to escort commercial vessels out of the Strait of Hormuz, where dozens of container ships and over 300,000 TEU of capacity had been stranded in or around the Persian Gulf. It’s important to understand what this does — and doesn’t — change for shippers.
This is not a full reopening. The escort operation unblocks existing stranded vessels but does not restore normal commercial transit through Hormuz for new cargo. What it has done is give individual carriers enough confidence to begin reopening Upper Gulf bookings via alternative workaround routes.
Hapag-Lloyd resumed Upper Gulf bookings on 4 May, routing cargo through Sharjah as a transshipment hub with bonded road transport to Khorfakkan (approximately five days). Destinations now served include Kuwait, Saudi Arabia (Dammam), Qatar, Iraq, and the UAE. Note that feeder services run without fixed weekly schedules, so transit times remain variable.
Maersk has not yet announced a parallel Upper Gulf reopening and continues to operate in workaround mode. Empty container returns across UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Oman remain restricted to designated depots only.
Surcharges remain in force. Reopening headlines do not mean surcharge withdrawals. Hapag-Lloyd’s Gulf cross-border security deposit, Maersk’s Strait of Hormuz Emergency Freight rate, and Maersk’s global Emergency Bunker Surcharge all remain active. Any rate quoted without confirming which surcharges have been retired should be treated as incomplete.
Pakistan’s inland corridor offers an additional option for Iran-destined cargo. Since 25 April, six road corridors connect Karachi, Port Qasim, and Gwadar with Iranian border crossings in Balochistan. Officials estimate cost savings of 45–55% on covered segments, with the shortest route (Gwadar to Gabd) cutting border transit to 2–3 hours. Customs guarantee documentation is required, and Indian-origin goods are excluded.
European shippers should note the EU’s Middle East crisis Temporary State aid Framework (METSAF), in force until December 2026, which allows member states to offset up to 70% of additional energy costs and provides up to €50,000 in direct aid for eligible transport operators.
What to watch next: MSC and CMA CGM have the largest numbers of stranded vessels (10 and 11 respectively) and their reopening announcements will be key signals. The first carrier to formally withdraw a Hormuz-related surcharge will indicate which lines view Project Freedom as a durable solution rather than a temporary measure.
Axxess will continue to monitor developments and keep you updated as the situation evolves.