Maersk, MSC, CMA CGM and Hapag-Lloyd have invoked a 19th-century rule to dump containers at clients' expense as the Middle East conflict turns the shipping sector into a 'wild west'. The effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz and Houthi attacks have forced rerouting, causing congestion at safer Gulf ports like Jebel Ali and Nhava Sheva. Freight rates to the Gulf have soared, with a TEU from the UK to Jebel Ali jumping from $1,500 to nearly $6,000, while war-risk and fuel surcharges add $160-$400 per container. Fresh produce exports face additional land transport hurdles and document changes, pushing costs into the four-figure range per container. Companies negotiate who bears the burden on thin-margin goods, while livestock shipping adapts to new Gulf routes for halal meat.

The disruption exceeds Covid-era chaos, creating a 'whack-a-mole' situation for global supply chains.