{"id":107564,"date":"2026-03-01T19:39:22","date_gmt":"2026-03-01T22:39:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/shipping.einnews.com\/article\/896714770"},"modified":"2026-03-01T19:39:22","modified_gmt":"2026-03-01T22:39:22","slug":"the-first-36-hours-strait-of-hormuz-becomes-a-war-zone-tankers-hit-shipping-giants-halt-gulf-transits","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/2026\/03\/01\/the-first-36-hours-strait-of-hormuz-becomes-a-war-zone-tankers-hit-shipping-giants-halt-gulf-transits\/","title":{"rendered":"The First 36 Hours: Strait of Hormuz Becomes a War Zone, Tankers Hit, Shipping Giants Halt Gulf Transits"},"content":{"rendered":"

The world\u2019s most vital energy artery is under siege. Following coordinated U.S. and Israeli strikes<\/a> that killed Iran\u2019s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and top military commanders, the Strait of Hormuz\u2014through which roughly 20% of global oil supply flows\u2014has become a war zone, forcing major shipping lines to halt operations and sending hundreds of vessels to seek shelter in open waters.<\/p>\n

The escalation has been swift. Iran\u2019s Revolutionary Guard Corps responded with sustained missile and drone attacks targeting both military installations and commercial shipping across the region. Three U.S. service members have been killed in action<\/a>, while Iranian strikes on civilian vessels mark an ominous expansion of the conflict\u2019s scope.<\/p>\n

President Trump confirmed the sinking of nine Iranian naval vessels in a social media post, declaring: \u201cWe are going after the rest \u2013 They will soon be floating at the bottom of the sea, also! In a different attack, we largely destroyed their Naval Headquarters.\u201d<\/p>\n

U.S. Central Command previously confirmed the sinking<\/a> of an Iranian Jamaran-class corvette at a pier in Chah Bahar during the opening hours of the operation, which the Trump Administration is calling Operation Epic Fury. <\/p>\n

The impact on commercial shipping has been immediate and severe. Within 24 hours, at least three tankers had been struck by missiles or drones in what maritime security officials describe as indiscriminate attacks. The oil tanker Skylight<\/em> was hit 5 nautical miles north of Khasab, Oman, forcing crew evacuation and injuring four. The crude carrier MKD Vyom<\/em> took a projectile strike above the waterline, sparking an engine room fire that was later controlled. A third vessel, the Sea La Donna<\/em>, also reported an attack.<\/p>\n

Concerningly, the Joint Maritime Information Center has \u201cfound no association that would make these vessels a viable candidate for targeting and attack,\u201d underscoring that merchant ships of any flag or nationality now face existential risk in Gulf waters.<\/p>\n

The JMIC has elevated the regional threat level to CRITICAL\u2014its highest classification\u2014warning that \u201can attack is almost certain.\u201d While Iran has not formally closed the Strait of Hormuz, the operational reality reflects \u201cactive kinetic hazard conditions\u201d throughout the waterway.<\/p>\n

Major shipping companies have responded with unprecedented action. Maersk announced it is \u201csuspending all vessel crossings in the Strait of Hormuz until further notice,\u201d while also rerouting its ME11 and MECL services around the Cape of Good Hope to avoid the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.<\/p>\n

MSC Mediterranean Shipping has taken even more drastic measures, instructing \u201call MSC vessels currently operating in the Gulf region, as well as those en route\u201d to proceed to \u201cdesignated safe shelter areas until further notice.\u201d The company has also temporarily suspended all worldwide cargo bookings to the Middle East region.<\/p>\n

German carrier Hapag-Lloyd said Sunday it has suspended all vessel transits through the Strait of Hormuz. <\/p>\n

CMA CGM has activated emergency security measures and ordered all vessels inside or bound for the Gulf to proceed to shelter, suspended Suez Canal transits, and is rerouting ships via the Cape of Good Hope.  The French carrier says it will impose an Emergency Conflict Surcharge effective March 2, 2026, citing security risks tied to escalating tensions. The surcharge ranges from $2,000 per 20-foot container to $4,000 for reefers and special equipment, covering cargo to and from Gulf and Red Sea countries. It applies to new bookings, unshipped cargo, and cargo already afloat.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe safety of seafarers is paramount,\u201d stressed World Shipping Council President and CEO Joe Kramek said. \u201cSeafarers must not be targeted or placed at risk as a result of conflict, and the fundamental principle of freedom of navigation must be respected.\u201d<\/p>\n

An update from Poten & Partners indicated Japanese shipping giants Nippon Yusen, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, and Kawasaki Kisen have similarly halted all Hormuz operations, directing vessels to anchor in safe waters. Shipping data indicates hundreds of crude and LNG tankers have dropped anchor outside the chokepoint, clustered off the Gulf and Arabian Sea in what amounts to a near-standstill in transit, according to Poten. <\/p>\n

The traffic slowdown is measurable. Historical data shows an average of 138 vessels transit the Strait daily. In the past 24 hours, only 110 vessels made the passage\u2014a reduction that may represent \u201ca temporary reactionary pause or surge displacement rather than a sustained structural decline,\u201d according to JMIC\u2019s update the situation. <\/p>\n

Compounding navigation risks, significant GNSS interference continues across the region, causing positional offsets, AIS anomalies, and intermittent signal degradation. Under the current aerial threat environment and congestion challenges, this \u201cdegraded positional integrity acts as a risk amplifier, increasing probability of navigational incident or miscalculation,\u201d maritime authorities warned.<\/p>\n

The insurance market has moved decisively in response. Steamship Mutual issued a formal Notice of Cancellation of War Risks coverage for the Persian\/Arabian Gulf and adjacent waters, with cancellation effective 72 hours after 0000 GMT on March 1, 2026. \u201cInsurance market posture now aligns with the JMIC elevation of the regional maritime risk level to CRITICAL,\u201d the agency noted.<\/p>\n

Oil markets have reacted sharply. As of March 1, Brent Crude jumped approximately 10% in over-the-counter trading to around $80 per barrel, up from roughly $73 before the weekend strikes, according to Poten\u2019s update. JPMorgan and Barclays analysts warn prices could spike to $100\u2013$130 per barrel if the conflict results in prolonged supply disruption.<\/p>\n

Judah Levine, Head of Research at Freightos, assessed the broader implications: \u201cThe US-Israel strikes on Iran and subsequent Iranian retaliation targeting multiple countries in the area are driving significant logistics disruptions in the region which could start to be felt more broadly if the conflict stretches on.\u201d<\/p>\n

He added: \u201cWhile Iran has banned US vessels from transiting, it has not officially closed the Strait of Hormuz. But two oil tankers were attacked on Sunday nearby and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps has warned passing vessels that transits are not safe.\u201d<\/p>\n

Alternative export routes exist but remain severely limited. Saudi Arabia can utilize a pipeline into the Red Sea carrying about 5 million barrels per day, while the UAE can pipe 1.5 million barrels daily to Fujairah for export. Iraq can move some crude into the Mediterranean but only from northern oil fields. Others, including Iran, have no options but to transit Hormuz via ship for export.<\/p>\n

The conflict has also expanded to U.S. allies and infrastructure. U.S. Central Command said in a statement on social media that the Iranian regime is \u201cactively targeting civilians,\u201d alleging missile and drone strikes against more than a dozen civilian sites across the region. CENTCOM listed major infrastructure and residential targets including Dubai International Airport, Kuwait International Airport, Zayed International Airport, Erbil International Airport in Iraq, multiple hotels in Dubai and Bahrain, the Port of Dubai, and residential neighborhoods in Israel, Bahrain, and Qatar. <\/p>\n

The UAE Ministry of Defence confirmed that two Iranian drones targeted a warehouse at Al Salam naval base in Abu Dhabi, causing a fire with no casualties. The ministry condemned the attack as \u201ca blatant act of aggression and a flagrant violation of national sovereignty and international law,\u201d affirming the UAE \u201creserves its full right to respond to this escalation.\u201d<\/p>\n

French Health Minister of Armed Forces and Veterans Catherine Vautrin said a hangar at France\u2019s naval base in Abu Dhabi\u2014located next to an Emirati facility\u2014was struck in a drone attack targeting the port. She described the damage as limited and purely material, with no injuries reported, adding that French forces remain on maximum alert as the situation continues to evolve hour by hour. France has reportedly deployed its aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle to the Eastern Mediterranean following the attacks. <\/p>\n

Meanwhile, the Yemen-based Houthis have threatened to launch new attacks against Israel and U.S. ships interest and shipping in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. <\/p>\n

Global leaders are urging a return to diplomatic talks as concerns mount over uncontrollable escalation and the potential for broader regional war. Yet the operational outlook for the next 24-48 hours remains grim. Maritime authorities project that \u201cthe aerial threat from missiles and drones will not change\u201d and that \u201cthe risk of collateral damage remains HIGH.\u201d<\/p>\n

For now, the maritime industry faces an unprecedented crisis. With the world\u2019s most critical energy chokepoint under active fire<\/a>, hundreds of vessels at anchor, and insurance coverage withdrawn, the global supply chain confronts a disruption that could reshape trade flows for months to come.<\/p>\n

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<\/a><\/strong> <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

… both military installations and commercial shipping<\/span> across the region. Three … \u00e2\u0080\u009d throughout the waterway. Major shipping<\/span> companies have responded with unprecedented … cargo<\/span> already afloat. \u00e2\u0080\u009cThe safety of seafarers is paramount,\u00e2\u0080\u009d stressed World Shipping<\/span> …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-107564","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news","wpcat-1-id"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/107564","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=107564"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/107564\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=107564"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=107564"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=107564"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}