Middle East Conflict and What It Means for Australian Freight
BREAKING: ISLAMABAD TALKS COLLAPSED. US NAVY BLOCKADE OF HORMUZ EFFECTIVE TODAY. |
Talks ended without agreement after 21 hours on Sunday, 12 April. Vance left Islamabad. |
CENTCOM blockade begins Monday, 13 April at 10 am ET, All traffic in and out of Iranian ports. |
Iran's IRGC says any military vessels approaching Hormuz will be met with severe force. |
Only 9 vessels transited in the first 2 days of the ceasefire vs 100 to 140 per day pre-war. |
800+ vessels are still trapped in the Persian Gulf. 20,000+ seafarers are stuck aboard those ships. |
The ceasefire was due to expire on 22 April. It is now in serious doubt. |
Cape of Good Hope routing continues on ALL Australian and New Zealand trade lanes. |
1. WHAT HAPPENED THIS WEEKEND
The Islamabad Talks Fell Apart
This was supposed to be the one. The most significant US-Iran face-to-face talks since 1979. After 21 hours of negotiation at the Serena Hotel in Islamabad, JD Vance walked out without a deal on Sunday. No agreement, no extension, nothing.
The US had clear non-negotiables: full nuclear dismantlement, an end to proxy group funding, and the Strait of Hormuz open with zero tolls. Iran wanted sovereignty over Hormuz, the release of its frozen assets, and war reparations. Neither side was moving.
Iran's Foreign Minister said they were inches away from a Memorandum of Understanding but hit a wall of maximalism and shifting goalposts. Pakistan, which hosted and brokered the whole thing, is still trying to keep both sides talking. The two-week ceasefire technically runs until 22 April. Whether it holds is anyone's guess right now.
Trump Orders a US Navy Blockade of Hormuz
Within hours of the talks collapsing, Trump posted that the US Navy would immediately start blockading all ships trying to enter or leave the Strait of Hormuz. CENTCOM confirmed the blockade kicks in today, Monday, 13 April, at 10 am ET.
CENTCOM STATEMENT 12 APRIL 2026 |
"CENTCOM forces will begin implementing a blockade of all maritime traffic entering |
and exiting Iranian ports on April 13 at 10 am ET." |
"The blockade will be enforced against vessels of ALL nations." |
CENTCOM confirmed it will NOT impede vessels transiting Hormuz to and from non-Iranian ports. |
Iran's IRGC hit back hard, warning that any US military vessels approaching the strait will be considered a ceasefire violation and will be met with severe force. So we have a US blockade going live today, and Iran threatening to shoot at US ships. That is where things are this Monday morning.
Strait of Hormuz situation as at 13 April 2026
Metric | Pre-War (Feb 2026) | As of 13 April 2026 |
Daily ship transits through Hormuz | 100 to 140 vessels per day | 9 vessels in the first 2 days of the ceasefire |
Vessels trapped in the Persian Gulf | Minimal | 800+ including 325+ tankers |
Traffic reduction | Baseline | Down approximately 90 to 95% |
Oil and LNG normally transit | About 20% of the world's supply | Near zero |
Fertiliser (urea) is normally transiting | 30 to 35% of global trade | Near zero |
Brent crude oil price | Around $68 to $72 per barrel | Around $96 per barrel, up 40% |
Seafarers stranded in the Gulf | Zero | 20,000+ (IMO estimate) |
War-risk marine insurance per transit | 0.125% of vessel value | 0.2 to 0.4% of vessel value |
2. CAPE OF GOOD HOPE ROUTING ALL AUSTRALIAN AND NZ LANES
All Australian and New Zealand trade lanes on the Cape of Good Hope routing
Every single Australian and New Zealand trade lane is on the Cape of Good Hope routing right now. Imports and exports. All carriers. There is no timeline for a return to Suez or Hormuz. Here is what that means in practice for your freight:
Impact | What It Means for You |
Transit times | Asia to Australia: 7 to 14 extra days. Europe to Australia: 14 to 21 extra days. |
Freight rates | Drewry World Container Index is up 14.4% since the conflict escalated. Around USD 2,172 per 40ft container. |
Blank sailings | 11.9% of scheduled sailings are not operating, up from 9.5% before the conflict. |
Port terminal delays | 1 to 3 days at major Australian ports due to vessel bunching. |
Container equipment | Persistent shortages of reefer and standard equipment. Book early and confirm availability. |
Schedule reliability | Global schedule reliability at 62.4%. Well below pre-conflict levels. |
Recovery timeline | Even if Hormuz opens today, oil flows normalise around July. Oil prices back to normal by the end of 2026 at the earliest. |
3. CARRIER EMERGENCY SURCHARGES ALL AU/NZ TRADES
Every major shipping line serving Australia and New Zealand has an active Emergency Bunker Surcharge (EBS) or Emergency Fuel Surcharge (EFS). These sit on top of your base freight rate, BAF, and any other surcharges already in place. Rates are being reviewed regularly. Always confirm the current rate with us before you quote or book anything.
All Carriers at a Glance
Carrier | Surcharge Type | Effective | Northbound (Exports from AU) | Southbound (Imports to AU) | Review |
CMA CGM and ANL | EBS | 16 Mar 2026 | $150/TEU dry | $180/TEU reefer | $150/TEU dry | $180/TEU reefer | TBA |
Hapag-Lloyd | EFS + MFR | 23 Mar 2026 | $160/TEU dry + MFR by lane | $160/TEU dry + MFR by lane | Ongoing |
Hapag-Lloyd | War Risk Surcharge | Ongoing | $1,500 to $3,500 per TEU on Gulf cargo | $1,500 to $3,500 per TEU on Gulf cargo | Per voyage |
PIL | EBS | 23 Mar 2026 | $80/TEU dry | $120/TEU reefer | $160/TEU dry | $240/TEU reefer | Monthly |
OOCL | EBS Tariff T-53 | 23 Mar 2026 (expired 12 Apr) | Varies by equipment and destination | Varies by equipment and destination | Fortnightly |
SeaLead | EBS | 23 Mar 2026 | Rate TBC. Contact DDWL. | Rate TBC. Contact DDWL. | TBC |
ONE | EFS | 24 Mar 2026 | $160/TEU dry | $210/TEU reefer | $80/TEU dry | $105/TEU reefer | TBC |
MSC | EBS | 11 Mar 2026 | Varies by destination and equipment | Varies by destination and equipment | Fortnightly |
MSC | Rate Restoration GRI | Applied | $300/TEU from NE and SE Asia to AU/NZ | Southbound imports | Per advisory |
Maersk | EBS | 25 Mar 2026 | Among the highest in the market per TEU | Among the highest in the market per TEU | Fortnightly |
Maersk | Intermodal Fuel Fee | Mid-Mar 2026 | All AU landside +16 to 17% | All AU landside +16 to 17% | Weekly |
Maersk | Late Gate Export Fee | 1 Apr 2026 | A$460 per container (was A$425) | N/A | Fixed |
Maersk | Payer Amendment Fee | 1 May 2026 | USD $40 per document | USD $40 per document | Fixed |
Evergreen | EBS | 1 Apr 2026 | Active. Contact DDWL for the rate. | Active. Contact DDWL for the rate. | TBC |
HMM (Hyundai Merchant Marine) | EFL | 28 Mar 2026 | Active. Contact DDWL for the rate. | Active. Contact DDWL for the rate. | Fortnightly |
Yang Ming | EBS | Mar 2026 | Rate pending. Contact DDWL. | Rate pending. Contact DDWL. | TBC |
ANL (CMA CGM) | GRI Northern AU and Pacific | 16 Apr 2026 | $350/TEU | $700/FEU | $350/TEU | $700/FEU | One-off |
Carrier Breakdown Northbound and Southbound Rates
Hapag-Lloyd Marine Fuel Recovery (MFR) by Trade Lane eff 23 March 2026
On top of the flat EBS ($160/TEU dry, $225/TEU reefer), Hapag-Lloyd charges a lane-specific Marine Fuel Recovery. Both apply to the same shipment. So check both numbers when you are quoting a Hapag-Lloyd booking.
Trade Lane | Dry USD/TEU | Reefer USD/TEU | Effective |
Oceania to and from Europe | 438 | 622 | Loading 23 Mar 2026 |
Oceania to and from Latin America | 452 | 582 | Loading 23 Mar 2026 |
Oceania to and from the Middle East and ISC | 285 | 419 | Loading 23 Mar 2026 |
Oceania to and from East Africa | 184 | 258 | Loading 23 Mar 2026 |
Oceania to and from South Africa | 223 | 327 | Loading 23 Mar 2026 |
Oceania to and from West Africa | 303 | 439 | Loading 23 Mar 2026 |
Oceania to and from Asia | 191 | 254 | Loading 23 Mar 2026 |
Oceania to and from Transtasman AU to NZ | 150 | 179 | Loading 23 Mar 2026 |
China and Taiwan to Oceania (FMC) | 261 | N/A | Loading 1 Apr 2026 |
Oceania to and from North America (FMC) | 215 | 326 | Gate-in 8 Apr 2026 |
ONE (Ocean Network Express) Directional EFS eff 24 March 2026
ONE splits their EFS by direction. Head Haul is exports out of Australia. Back Haul is imports coming in. Worth noting: exports are charged more on ONE, so double check which way the cargo is moving before you quote.
Direction | Scope | Dry USD/TEU | Reefer USD/TEU | Effective |
Head Haul (Exports FROM Australia) | All Long-Haul Trades | $160 | $210 | 24 Mar 2026 |
Back Haul (Imports INTO Australia) | All Long-Haul Trades | $80 | $105 | 24 Mar 2026 |
Both Directions | Short Sea and Pacific Regional | $80 | $105 | 24 Mar 2026 |
Head Hauls FMC US trades only | US-regulated cargo | $160 | $210 | 9 Apr 2026 |
PIL (Pacific International Lines) Directional EBS eff 23 March 2026
PIL is worth paying close attention to here. Imports into Australia are being charged double what exports are. Make sure you are quoting the right direction before the rate goes out.
Direction | Dry USD/TEU | Reefer USD/TEU | Effective |
Imports INTO Australia (all long-haul lanes) | $160 | $240 | 23 Mar 2026 |
Exports FROM Australia (all long-haul lanes) | $80 | $120 | 23 Mar 2026 |
OOCL EBS by Equipment and Destination USD per container, not per TEU
OOCL filed their tariff (OOLL-100/T-53) on 17 March, effective 23 March. It expired on 12 April. A revised tariff is expected but has not been confirmed yet. If you have an OOCL shipment or quote right now, check with us before booking. The rates below are from the filed tariff.
Northbound Exports FROM Australia and New Zealand
Destination | 20ft Dry | 40ft and 40HC Dry | 20ft Reefer | 40ft and 40HC Reefer |
Europe | USD 235 | USD 470 | USD 353 | USD 705 |
Asia | USD 75 | USD 150 | USD 113 | USD 225 |
Africa | USD 325 | USD 650 | USD 488 | USD 975 |
Southbound Imports INTO Australia and New Zealand
Origin | 20ft Dry | 40ft and 40HC Dry | 20ft Reefer | 40ft and 40HC Reefer |
Europe | USD 210 | USD 420 | USD 315 | USD 630 |
Asia | USD 150 | USD 300 | USD 225 | USD 450 |
Africa | USD 220 | USD 440 | USD 330 | USD 660 |
AU to NZ Coastal | USD 75 | USD 150 | USD 113 | USD 225 |
CMA CGM and ANL EBS plus April GRI
Charge | Dry | Reefer | Effective | Scope |
Emergency Bunker Surcharge (EBS) | $150/TEU | $180/TEU | 16 Mar 2026 | All AU/NZ trades |
Rate Restoration GRI (northbound) | $300 per 20ft | $600 per 40ft | Same | 1 Apr 2026 | Asia, ISC, Middle East to AU |
GRI Northern AU and Pacific ports | $350/TEU | $700/FEU | 16 Apr 2026 | Gladstone, Townsville, Darwin, Dampier, Port Hedland, PNG, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu |
MSC EBS plus Multiple GRIs
Charge | Rate | Effective | Scope |
Emergency Bunker Surcharge (EBS) | Per container. Varies by destination and equipment. | 11 Mar 2026 (B/L date) | All AU/NZ. Reviewed fortnightly. |
EBS for FMC US trades | Per container. Varies by destination and equipment. | 8 Apr 2026 (gate-in) | US-regulated cargo. |
Rate Restoration GRI to AU/NZ | $300/TEU | Effective now | NE Asia and SE Asia to AU/NZ |
EFS India to the Far East | $47/TEU dry | $70/TEU reefer | 1 Apr 2026 | India's origin in the Far East |
GRI India to North Africa | $300 per container (dry and reefer) | 10 Apr 2026 | India to North Africa |
GRI India to USEC and USGC | $1,500 per 20ft | $2,000 per 40HC | 1 May 2026 | India to the USA East and Gulf Coasts |
ANL GRI NORTHERN AUSTRALIA AND PACIFIC HITS 16 APRIL. 3 DAYS AWAY. |
USD $350 per TEU | USD $700 per FEU |
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Applies to all services linking Asia with: |
Gladstone | Townsville | Dili | Darwin | Dampier | Port Hedland |
PNG | Solomon Islands | Vanuatu |
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If you have open quotes for any of these ports, they need to be updated now. |
Call us before you book anything to these ports this week. |
4. UPCOMING GRI AND RATE INCREASES MAY 2026
On top of everything already active, the following General Rate Increases are confirmed for 1 May. These stack on top of all current surcharges. Budget assumptions from earlier in the year will not cover these.
Carrier | Route | Equipment | Rate Increase | Effective |
MSC | India to USA East Coast (USEC) | 20ft all types | USD 1,500 | 1 May 2026 (gate-in) |
MSC | India to USA Gulf Coast (USGC) | 20ft all types | USD 1,500 | 1 May 2026 (gate-in) |
MSC | India to San Juan, Puerto Rico | 40ft and 40HC all types | USD 2,000 | 1 May 2026 (gate-in) |
CMA CGM | India/ME/Red Sea to USEC and USGC | 20ft, 40ft, 40HC, 45ft, all types | USD 1,000 | 1 May 2026 |
ANL | Asia to Northern AU and the Pacific | TEU and FEU | $350/TEU | $700/FEU | 16 Apr 2026. This week. |
5. AIR FREIGHT
Air freight is not the clean workaround people sometimes think it is when ocean lanes are disrupted. Gulf hub capacity has been hit hard since late February, and conditions got worse again this week.
What | Current Situation |
Gulf hub capacity | Running at 20 to 75% of normal. Emirates (EK), Qatar Airways (QR) and Etihad (EY) all affected. |
Air FSC and WRS charges | Going up across most airlines from 13 April 2026. |
AU to Europe spot rates | Up 35%+ since the start of March 2026. |
Space availability | Multiple incidents of cargo offloading. Space is tight across all AU lanes. |
Alternative hub congestion | Singapore, Hong Kong and KL are absorbing the overflow. They are getting congested, too. |
Qatar Airways (QR) | Fully operational across all sectors. Best available option right now. |
AU/NZ air freight surcharges | EBS and EFS are active on all affected lanes. Confirm with us before booking. |
AIR FREIGHT READ THIS BEFORE YOU BOOK |
If your freight normally goes through Dubai (EK), Doha (QR) or Abu Dhabi (EY), |
you need to confirm your routing before you book. Not after. |
|
Do not assume your usual airline or connection is running normally. |
Call us first. We will check what is actually available and find you the best option. |
6. DOMESTIC FUEL LEVIES WEEK OF 13 APRIL 2026
Australian fuel levies are being reviewed weekly across all major ports right now. The global fuel market is extremely volatile, and that is flowing straight through to domestic transport costs. Here is where things sit this week, including our DDWL handling margin:
Port and Region | Fuel Surcharge Week of 13 Apr | Review Frequency |
Melbourne | Approximately 40.5% | Weekly (Monday) |
Sydney | Approximately 39.5% | Weekly (Monday) |
Brisbane | Approximately 48.5% | Weekly (Monday) |
Adelaide | Approximately 55.5% | Weekly (Monday) |
Perth | Approximately 53.5% | Weekly (Monday) |
QLD and WA haulage providers | Approximately 39.5 to 41.5% | Weekly (Monday) |
FUEL LEVY NOTE |
Domestic fuel levies are recalculated every Monday morning. |
Any DDWL quote that includes landside transport is valid for the week it is issued only. |
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The Federal Government's fuel excise cut and heavy vehicle road user charge elimination |
are currently providing some relief. THESE CUTS EXPIRE 30 JUNE 2026. |
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If this conflict is not resolved by June, domestic transport costs will go up further |
when those concessions expire. Worth factoring into your planning now. |
7. WHAT YOU NEED TO DO RIGHT NOW
The short version
• ANL GRI for northern AU ports hits in 3 days on 16 April. If you have open quotes for Gladstone, Townsville, Darwin, Dampier or Port Hedland, call us today.
• OOCL tariff expired 12 April. If you have an OOCL booking or quote, contact us to confirm what the revised rates look like.
• All surcharges in this update are on top of your base freight rate. Your total landed cost is higher than the rate you originally quoted.
• Maersk Payer Amendment Fee of USD $40 per document kicks in on 1 May. Build it into your job costs now.
• If your freight budget was set before February 2026, it needs a serious review.
• Domestic fuel levies are recalculated every Monday. Any transport quote older than a week may already be out of date.
• If you have time-critical freight normally going through Gulf air hubs, confirm the routing before you commit to a cargo date.
What We Are Watching This Week
• US Navy blockade implementation. Starts today.
• Iran IRGC response. Military escalation risk is real and immediate.
• OOCL tariff revision. Expected this week.
• Maersk EBS review. Due within 14 days.
• Australian fuel levies. Recalculated every Monday.
• Further carrier GRI announcements. This market is not settling down.
Our job is to make your job easier. If you have a booking coming up, a quote you are not sure about, or you just want to talk through how all of this affects your supply chain, call us or send us an email. We are across all of it.
DISCLAIMER: All rates confirmed at time of booking only. No rate is fixed until written confirmation is issued by DDWL. Information sourced from carrier advisories, shipping intelligence and publicly available news as at 13 April 2026. This is a fast-moving situation. Contact DDWL for the current position on any active booking or quote.