We are closely monitoring the development of the situation in the Middle East and will continuously update our customers and partners on the status and its impact on international freight transport.

Air & Sea freight
The Middle East is a central hub for international trade. When air and sea transport in the region is restricted, global ripple effects arise, including:

• longer lead times between Asia, Europe, and North America
• increased volatility in capacity and freight rates
• imbalances in container and equipment flows
• increased pressure on alternative routes and European hubs

Airlines have initiated a limited and gradual restart of operations but continue to operate reduced schedules, revised routings, and in some cases cancelled departures. At present, there is no confirmed timeline for when air traffic will fully return to normal operations, and conditions may change at short notice depending on the security situation and decisions by authorities.

Sea freight is also significantly affected. Several major shipping lines have temporarily suspended or rerouted traffic via the Red Sea, the Suez Canal, and the Strait of Hormuz for security reasons. Instead, many vessels are being routed around the Cape of Good Hope, resulting in:

• longer transit times
• increased pressure on vessel and container capacity
• risk of delays and revised sailing schedules

Against the backdrop of the increased risk level, several shipping lines have announced additional charges, such as War Risk Surcharge and/or Emergency Surcharge, on affected routes. These surcharges are applied in accordance with each carrier’s terms and conditions and may be adjusted at short notice depending on developments in the region.

We are continuously monitoring the situation and are actively working to identify alternative solutions to minimize the impact on your shipments as far as possible.

Road & Rail Transport within Europe

The situation in the Middle East has also created significant uncertainty regarding energy prices and fuel costs, which may in turn affect the transport market. For road transport, this may result in adjustments to diesel-related surcharges, and rail traffic is likewise impacted by changes in energy costs.

At present, transport flows within Europe remain stable, including our main flows to and from the Benelux region. At the same time, we are closely monitoring market developments, as changes in fuel prices, transport capacity, or market demand may affect costs and planning going forward.

We are working continuously together with our transport partners to ensure stable and efficient solutions for our customers. Should developments lead to changes affecting specific shipments or flows, we will of course inform the customers concerned directly.

Kind regards,

Team Scanlog