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Cosco Shipping Warns of Uncertainties as Iran War Escalates
Middle East Tensions Reshape Global Trade
China’s largest container liner Cosco Shipping Holdings Co. warned of increasing uncertainties in the year ahead as a deepening Middle East conflict continues to reshape global trade.
“Looking ahead to 2026, the complexity and uncertainty of the container shipping market will further intensify,” the company said in a March 19 filing.
Ongoing tensions in the Middle East are amplifying volatility in global supply chains, Cosco said. That is driving the sector to evolve more rapidly toward regionalization and diversification.
Many global liners, including Cosco Shipping, have suspended Middle East bookings amid the crisis.
The Iran war has reduced the likelihood of a full reopening of sailings through the Red Sea, a vital passageway for maritime traffic between Asia and Europe, the company said.
That is determining shipping companies’ pace and strategies to navigate the closed shipping lane a key factor in this year’s market.
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That might offer some respite after tariff woes limited growth last year. Full-year earnings fell 37% to 31 billion yuan ($4.5 billion), meeting expectations.
Since the outbreak of the Iran War, global liner rates for a 40-foot container have risen for three straight weeks as liners avoid the Middle East and take the longer route around the Cape of Good Hope.
Cosco Shipping Group ranks No. 11 on theTransport Topics Top 50 list of the largest global freight companies.
