Andrew England and Alice Hancock in London and Nicolas Parasie in Dubai Published September 20 2026 David, a UK businessman who set up a healthcare company in Dubai over five years ago due to its strategic position between Europe and Asia, says his medical glove import business now faces severe disruption. Shipping a 40ft container from China to the UAE costs up to $10,000—up from $1,250 before the Iran conflict—while marine insurance has risen from $120 to $1,000 per container. Transit times have doubled to 60 days, with shipments often stalled at India’s Mundra port or Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Despite US claims under President Donald Trump that the Strait of Hormuz is open and secure, non-oil cargo flows remain severely restricted. Container traffic through the strait dropped 94% year-on-year to just 240 vessels between March 1 and September 7, down from 4,198, per Xeneta. Only 11 of 99 prior container services remain active, mostly intra-Gulf or Iran-China routes.

Key commodity exports via the strait—limestone, sulphur, fertiliser, and corn—have plummeted, with limestone and corn shipments falling to zero in August. While oil tankers move under US escort, bulk carriers avoid the route due to low profitability compared to supertankers earning $1mn/day. The UAE’s Khor Fakkan port, with six berths and 18 cranes, is dwarfed by Jebel Ali’s 27 berths and 120 cranes.

Though no major shortages exist in the Gulf, retail shelves show gaps, such as missing children's cycling helmets.