One of the world’s largest container shipping companies, Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), is developing a new logistics route designed to bypass the Strait of Hormuz.
Amid ongoing security risks in the Middle East and growing disruptions in global supply chains, the company plans to establish an alternative transport system linking Europe with the Gulf region.
According to the proposed plan, the route would begin at the port of Antwerp in Belgium and include key European hubs in Germany, Italy, Lithuania, and Spain. Cargo would then be transported via the Suez Canal into the Red Sea, reaching the Saudi Arabian ports of Jeddah and King Abdullah Port.
From there, shipments would be moved overland to Dammam and subsequently redistributed by smaller vessels to major Gulf ports, including Abu Dhabi, Jebel Ali in Dubai, Bahrain, Iraq, and Kuwait.
Industry experts note that restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz, combined with heightened geopolitical tensions, are pushing major logistics companies toward longer, more expensive routes with a higher carbon footprint. This shift could lead to significant structural changes in global trade flows.
