The Rhenus Gulf Link: Your transport solutions to the Middle East

22 April 2026 - 3 PM (CET)

Transport infrastructure across parts of the Middle East continues to face operational limitations, impacting global air, ocean and overland logistics.

Rhenus is actively monitoring the situation and coordinating with carriers and partners to support service continuity wherever possible.

Current air freight update

Global air freight operations remain constrained due to ongoing airspace limitations, jet fuel implications and adjusted airport schedules.

• Middle Eastern Airlines & Air Hubs: Air freight capacity across the Middle East remains constrained despite the gradual return of freighter operations and partial recovery of regional hubs, especially in the UAE and Qatar. While some flight services have been reinstated, essential cargo is often prioritized, cancellations continue to impact reliability.

• Constraint APAC-EU Lane and Alternative Hubs: Ongoing rerouting of cargo is shifting volumes to alternative hubs, increasing congestion globally. The Asia–Europe Lane remains the most capacity-constrained, and while some direct capacity has increased, it is insufficient to offset reduced Middle East hub operations. Longer routes also limit payload, further tightening effective capacity and sustaining a supply–demand imbalance.
• Surging Surcharges: Fluctuations in fuel supply and pricing are affecting the Brent Crude Index and even more jet fuel prices increasing costs for airlines, as well as road feeder service providers and ground handling partners, resulting in the introduction or increase of fuel-, war risk-, or contingency surcharges. Combined with limited capacity, this is leading to rising rates and continued volatility across multiple trade lanes.
• Fuel Supply Disruptions: The availability of jet fuel in certain regions, specifically Southeast Asia, is being monitored closely by airlines. Decisions on airline schedules due to the lack of jet fuel availability can cause a further reduction in available capacity and further upward pressure on rates in the future.

Current ocean freight update

Global ocean freight operations remain impacted by ongoing security concerns and operational constraints in the Middle East:

• Transit & Regional Access: Transit through the Strait of Hormuz and the Suez Canal remain subject to increased precautionary measures; vessel movements remain significantly reduced and carefully managed.
• Alternative routing & service adjustments: Following an initial phase where carriers suspended most calls to ports in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), services have gradually resumed on a limited basis to selected gateway ports, including Khor Fakkan Port (UAE), Jeddah Port (Saudi Arabia), and Sohar Port (Oman). Inland trucking is used for both pre- and oncarriage transportation.
• Operational impact: The rerouting of cargo is contributing to port congestion at alternative hub locations, causing delays. In addition, vessel schedule changes and broader network disruptions continue to impact transit times and reliability across adjacent trade lanes.
• Cost impact: Additional surcharges, including war risk and other security-related charges, have been implemented on affected trade lanes. Further, fuel prices have increased, impacting bunker adjustment factors (BAF) and contributing to higher overall transport costs.

Current overland transport update

European overland transport networks are also experiencing the effects of capacity constraints in air and ocean freight. Specifically:

• Higher demand for landbased alternatives is causing congestion on major European corridors.
• Additional documentation and procedural checks along selected Eastern European and Turkish routes may cause delays in border processing.
• Carriers continue to adjust their routes in response to capacity shifts and infrastructure bottlenecks.

General operational and infrastructure considerations

Across multiple locations, temporary restrictions and schedule changes at transport facilities are contributing to reduced or changed operating windows at airports and ports, slower processing times and delays in cargo handling as well as increased demand for inland logistics and warehousing capacities.

What we can do for our Customers

To support your supply chain during this period, Rhenus has reinforced several contingency solutions in the Middle East, where direct freight connections are unavailable:

• Expanded use of alternative multimodal routes, including sea-air combinations and landbridge services via neighboring markets, enabling routing flexibility to avoid areas with operational or security constraints. As part of this approach, we have developed the Rhenus Gulf Link Solutions  to maintain reliable access to the region for different needs on transit times and cost effectiveness.
• Increased warehouse readiness and strategic stock placement for urgent cargo flows.
• Tailored planning of last mile delivery across affected regions.

These measures are intended to minimize disruptions and maintain service continuity as far as possible.

To help manage potential delays, we recommend you to:

• Share shipment forecasts where possible to support capacity planning.
• Confirm bookings as early as possible to help secure available space.
• Evaluate alternative transport solutions, such as intermodal transport, dedicated full-truck loads and charter solutions.
• Remain flexible with delivery and pickup arrangements.
• Plan for extended lead times and potential rerouting, even if conditions appear stable locally.

As the situation remains dynamic, changes may occur at short notice. We will keep you informed of any developments relevant to your business.

If you have any questions, please contact your local Rhenus representative.

Türkiye acts as the central gateway within the Gulf Link network, providing a stable and flexible entry point for cargo originating from Europe and global markets. Shipments are processed through our facilities in Istanbul and our hub in Mersin, where aligned handling and consolidation procedures support fast transition between transport modes.

Integrated overland connection

The link between Türkiye and the Middle East is built on a fully operational overland corridor. This road network supports consistent weekly traffic flows and offers predictable routing, even when regional maritime or air routes are affected. Routes are continuously monitored to account for evolving border and security conditions, ensuring a controlled and reliable initial stage of the journey.

Multi-modal routing options into Türkiye

From Europe, shipments can be routed to Türkiye via established road and overland connections, with air freight available as a faster option for time-sensitive cargo.

From other global origins, shipments can be routed via air or sea freight to Istanbul International Airport or Mersin Port. There, they are seamlessly connected to our overland network for onward distribution.

Türkiye as a Central Hub

Türkiye is selected as a central hub due to its strong infrastructure, extensive road network and proximity to the Gulf region. Supported by a strong Rhenus network, it enables reliable integration across air, sea and land operations. Standardized processes for consolidation, cross-docking and customs handling maintain consistency across all inbound flows and ensure a seamless handover to subsequent distribution stages.

Where direct access to key ports, airports or routing corridors is constrained, we leverage alternative regional entry points to keep your cargo moving to and from the Middle East. Based on current operational conditions, our teams determine the most effective combination of gateways and onward transport solutions.

Alternative routing options include:

• Sea freight via regional gateway ports
  Cargo can be routed via selected gateway ports, including Khor Al Fakkan Port (UAE), Jeddah Port (Saudi Arabia), Sohar Port (Oman) and the Port of Salalah (Oman).
• Air freight via regional hub airports
  Cargo can be routed via alternative regional air hubs, such as the airports of Riyadh, Dammam (Saudi Arabia) and Muscat (Oman), if direct connections are unavailable at the moment.

Gateway selection is continuously adapted to reflect capacity, transit times and local operating conditions, ensuring reliable and efficient routing.

From our hubs in Türkiye, as well as from alternative entry ports and airports within the Middle East, distribution across the GCC is supported by bonded and cross-border trucking solutions, ensuring seamless connectivity to final destinations.

Our services ensure reliable access to key markets, including destinations that may currently be more complex to reach:

• United Arab Emirates
• Saudi Arabia
• Qatar
• Kuwait
• Bahrain

This approach enables flexible and dependable delivery across the region, regardless of the initial port of entry.

Our in-house customs experts will guide you every step of the way and advise you on the most suitable solution for your shipment, whether it’s bonded trucking or clearance at the gateway or port.