Hormuz Bypass Routes Still Face Gulf Risks After Qatar Tanker Attack

On 7 October, a chemical and oil tanker was struck by multiple projectiles about 51 nautical miles north of Qatar, with casualties reported among its crew. The attack was among the first reported outside the Strait of Hormuz during the latest escalation in strikes on commercial shipping, which began on 28 September.

For shippers with containers bound for Kuwait, Iraq, Qatar or Bahrain, the exposure extends to the final leg of the journey. Maersk’s contingency routing moves some cargo through Salalah or Khor Fakkan, then by land to Sharjah, where it connects to an intra-Gulf feeder. That final sea leg operates in the broader Gulf, where this week’s tanker attack has raised fresh security concerns. Transshipment handovers also create visibility risks when loading events or updated arrival estimates are missing.

What Happened Off Qatar

The tanker, identified as the Antigua and Barbuda-flagged Acers, was hit at around 1900 UTC, according to UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO). UKMTO reported casualties but did not specify how many crew members were injured or identify who carried out the attack.

Most reported attacks since 28 September have clustered in and around the Strait of Hormuz. At least 12 tankers were reportedly attacked between 28 September and 5 October, marking the most intense period of tanker attacks since the war began. The Joint Maritime Information Center recorded six security incidents between 3 and 6 October, including a vessel reportedly forced to turn back. Ship-tracking counts cited by The Maritime Executive put strait transits at seven to eight vessels on 6 October, the lowest reported daily level since late July.

The Qatar strike extends the immediate concern farther west into the Gulf. Splash247 noted that the incident raises the prospect of a larger part of the Gulf becoming exposed to maritime attacks, potentially affecting ships serving terminals in Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Iraq.

The Gulf interior has been targeted before during the conflict, including a bulk carrier struck off Doha on 10 May. The latest attack followed a period of strikes concentrated around Hormuz. It involved a tanker, and there is no confirmed evidence that the incident itself disrupted container feeder services. However, it raises the security risk facing vessels operating farther inside the Gulf.

Gulf Workarounds Still End at Sea

Maersk provides a detailed account of its Gulf contingency routing. Its Middle East Operational Update 51, issued on 7 October and updated on 8 October, describes a workaround for affected cargo booked to Kuwait, Iraq, Qatar, Bahrain and the UAE. Instead of transshipping via Jeddah, cargo moves through Salalah or Khor Fakkan, then by landbridge to Sharjah before connecting to Maersk’s intra-Gulf feeder network.

That means a shipment routed around the Strait of Hormuz can still depend on a final sea leg inside the Gulf.

Maersk also describes alternative arrangements for selected cargo originally booked to Khor Fakkan. Due to berthing constraints, affected shipments may have their final destination changed to Jebel Ali, either through discharge at Fujairah followed by bonded road transport or by direct discharge at Jebel Ali if the feeder can transit Hormuz.

Routing	Remaining sea leg	What to watch
Salalah or Khor Fakkan, landbridge to Sharjah, intra-Gulf feeder (Kuwait, Iraq, Qatar, Bahrain, UAE)	Feeder inside the Gulf, west of Hormuz	Container completes the landbridge but does not load onto its planned feeder
Khor Fakkan booking changed to Jebel Ali, discharged at Fujairah	No additional sea leg; bonded truck to Jebel Ali	Truck movement, clearance and revised delivery arrangements
Khor Fakkan booking changed to Jebel Ali, discharged directly at Jebel Ali	Feeder transit through the Strait of Hormuz	Additional USD 1,000 per container Hormuz transit fee
Saudi cargo via Jeddah landbridge (including Riyadh and Dammam)	No Gulf sea leg for the onward landbridge movement	Jeddah discharge and inland transport delays

Source: Maersk Middle East Operational Update 51 (7 October 2026, updated 8 October). These arrangements describe Maersk contingency routings for affected cargo and do not imply that all routes remain available for new bookings. Maersk currently suspends new dry-cargo bookings to and from Iraq, reefer and dangerous-goods bookings to and from Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain, and certain new landside bookings.

For shipments that transit Hormuz, Maersk says the USD 1,000 per container transit fee is charged in addition to applicable Emergency Freight rates. For Middle East imports, the Hormuz fee is invoiced to the local consignee. Existing-cargo Emergency Freight rates range from USD 1,800 for a 20-foot dry container to USD 3,800 for reefer, special and dangerous-goods containers, subject to applicable terms.

Iran has also threatened vessels using southern passages near Oman, which some ships have used to avoid Iranian-controlled waters. Congestion at the bypass ports presents a separate operational problem, examined in our 29 September look at Gulf workarounds.

For shippers, the important distinction is whether their contingency route ends with inland delivery or still relies on an intra-Gulf feeder. The latter leaves an additional maritime movement exposed to changing security conditions.

The Feeder Handover Is Where Visibility Can Break Down

A container on Maersk’s Sharjah routing passes through several operational stages before its final sea leg: discharge at a transshipment port, transfer onto the landbridge, arrival at Sharjah and loading onto a feeder. Each stage depends on movement events and schedule information being reported and passed between systems.

A Tradlinx analysis of 508,055 ocean shipments, published this week, found carrier ETAs missing on 8.43% of shipments. Transshipment cargo accounted for 87% of those gaps. The sample was global, not Gulf-specific, and largely predates the current disruption. It provides a baseline for understanding where missing arrival information commonly occurs.

Consider a container that completes its landbridge movement to Sharjah but cannot board its scheduled feeder because the vessel is delayed or its operator changes the sailing plan. If the carrier publishes neither a new loading event nor a revised ETA, the shipment record may remain unchanged even though its expected delivery has slipped.

A monitoring system that relies only on movement events or revised carrier schedules may fail to detect that delay unless it also checks for missing data or unusual inactivity.

The financial consequences depend on where the cargo is held and which storage terms apply. Under Maersk’s storage-in-transit Option A, the applicable Emergency Freight arrangement includes 14 days of storage, with additional charges of USD 25 per TEU per day from day 15. Separately, cargo remaining under transshipment at Jebel Ali is subject to a temporary USD 25-per-TEU daily storage charge from discharge. Cargo cleared as a Jebel Ali import follows different terminal charging arrangements.

These charges do not automatically apply to every container awaiting a feeder at Sharjah. But they illustrate why a delay that is not reflected in shipment records can become a planning and cost problem.

If your team only discovers a feeder delay when the consignee requests an update, see how container visibility data can help identify shipments that stop progressing between handovers.

What to Re-check This Week

Remaining sea legs. For each container bound for Kuwait, Iraq, Qatar or Bahrain, confirm whether the contingency route still includes an intra-Gulf feeder and identify the planned vessel or service.
The Sharjah handover. Flag containers that have completed the landbridge but have no confirmed feeder loading event. Request the feeder’s latest status and departure estimate from the carrier.
Blank ETAs. Treat missing arrival estimates on Gulf transshipments as open exceptions. Check whether your tracking system detects missing information or prolonged inactivity without requiring a new movement event.
Hormuz fee exposure. Check whether affected Khor Fakkan bookings have been changed to direct discharge at Jebel Ali. Confirm whether the USD 1,000 per container Hormuz transit fee and any applicable Emergency Freight charges have been included in the shipment’s cost estimate.
Khor Fakkan pickups. Maersk is using Sajaa inland container depot for affected cargo moving through Khor Fakkan. Verify whether the container should be collected from the terminal or Sajaa before dispatching trucks.
Booking acceptance. Check current Maersk restrictions before arranging new Gulf shipments, particularly dry cargo to Iraq and reefer or dangerous-goods cargo to the upper Gulf. Existing-cargo contingency routes should not be assumed available for new bookings.
Other carriers. Ask whether your carrier’s Gulf workaround ends on an intra-Gulf feeder, what conditions could delay or suspend that leg, and how changes will be communicated.

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