---
title: Container Shipping Lines Offer Convoluted Routings on Asia to Middle East Legs
description: With the current crisis in the Middle East, shipping lines are offering complex connections to keep trade flowing.
image: https://news.mtflogistics.com.au/hubfs/container2-1.jpg
---

[Skip to content](https://news.mtflogistics.com.au/mtf-logistics-pty-ltd-blog/container-shipping-lines-offer-convoluted-routings-on-asia-to-middle-east-legs#main-content)

![](https://news.mtflogistics.com.au/hs-fs/hubfs/container2-1.jpg?width=3992&height=2242&name=container2-1.jpg)

# Container Shipping Lines Offer Convoluted Routings on Asia to Middle East Legs

![Daniel](https://app.hubspot.com/settings/avatar/d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e)

 Daniel

March 17, 2026

![containerrr](https://442310841.fs1.hubspotusercontent-ap1.net/hub/442310841/hubfs/containerrr.png?width=1200&length=1200&name=containerrr.png)

With the current crisis in the Middle East, shipping lines are offering complex connections to keep trade flowing. The new convoluted routings have inland multimodal legs to ensure cargo arrives in the Gulf region.

Major carriers have suspended services via the Strait of Hormuz due to security risks arising from the war in Iran. The lengthy alternatives are entirely avoiding the Strait of Hormuz and Bab El-Mandeb on the Red Sea.

CMA CGM has introduced the Phoenician Service to connect ports in China, South Korea, Singapore, and Malaysia with the East Mediterranean Ports in Turkey. The service transits via the Cape of Good Hope, which adds about 14 days to the voyage. Cargo is then shipped onward via overland connections into Iraq.

MSC is offering connections from Asia to the Mediterranean via the Cape of Good Hope with onward shipping to Red Sea ports in Saudi Arabia southbound on the Suez Canal. Cargo will be sent to the final destinations in the Gulf via overland connections from Jeddah and King Abdullah ports.

Inland haulage connects Saudi ports on the Red Sea to Riyadh, Damman, Bahrain, Hamad, Jebel Ali, Abu Dhabi, Jubail, and Kuwait.

## Share this post

<https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fnews.mtflogistics.com.au%2Fmtf-logistics-pty-ltd-blog%2Fcontainer-shipping-lines-offer-convoluted-routings-on-asia-to-middle-east-legs><https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Fnews.mtflogistics.com.au%2Fmtf-logistics-pty-ltd-blog%2Fcontainer-shipping-lines-offer-convoluted-routings-on-asia-to-middle-east-legs><https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https%3A%2F%2Fnews.mtflogistics.com.au%2Fmtf-logistics-pty-ltd-blog%2Fcontainer-shipping-lines-offer-convoluted-routings-on-asia-to-middle-east-legs><https://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fnews.mtflogistics.com.au%2Fmtf-logistics-pty-ltd-blog%2Fcontainer-shipping-lines-offer-convoluted-routings-on-asia-to-middle-east-legs>[mailto:https%3A%2F%2Fnews.mtflogistics.com.au%2Fmtf-logistics-pty-ltd-blog%2Fcontainer-shipping-lines-offer-convoluted-routings-on-asia-to-middle-east-legs](mailto:https%3A%2F%2Fnews.mtflogistics.com.au%2Fmtf-logistics-pty-ltd-blog%2Fcontainer-shipping-lines-offer-convoluted-routings-on-asia-to-middle-east-legs)

## Keep reading

### [![](https://news.mtflogistics.com.au/hs-fs/hubfs/21.jpg?width=6720&height=4480&name=21.jpg) Australia Working to Double Horticulture Exports](https://news.mtflogistics.com.au/mtf-logistics-pty-ltd-blog/australia-working-to-double-horticulture-exports)

### [![](https://news.mtflogistics.com.au/hs-fs/hubfs/20-1.jpg?width=6000&height=3000&name=20-1.jpg) Australian Exports to Iraq Post a 97.5% Drop in Q2](https://news.mtflogistics.com.au/mtf-logistics-pty-ltd-blog/australian-exports-to-iraq-post-a-97.5-drop-in-q2)

[MTF Logistics](https://www.mtflogistics.com.au/)

[Sea Freight](https://www.mtflogistics.com.au/sea-freight/) [Air Freight](https://www.mtflogistics.com.au/air-freight/) [Customs Clearance](https://www.mtflogistics.com.au/customs-clearance/) [Freight Forwarding](https://www.mtflogistics.com.au/freight-forwarding/) [Guides](https://www.mtflogistics.com.au/category/freight-logistics-insights/) [Get a Quote](https://www.mtflogistics.com.au/start/)

## About MTF Logistics

MTF Logistics is an owner-managed freight forwarder based in North Sydney, operating since 2014. We handle [sea freight](https://www.mtflogistics.com.au/sea-freight/) (FCL and LCL), [air freight](https://www.mtflogistics.com.au/air-freight/), [customs clearance](https://www.mtflogistics.com.au/customs-clearance/), export documentation and project cargo through Port Botany, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Fremantle, with delivery Australia-wide.

Call 1300 710 683 or [get a quote](https://www.mtflogistics.com.au/start/).

```json
{
  "@context" : "https://schema.org",
  "@type" : "BlogPosting",
  "author" : {
    "@type" : "Person",
    "name" : "Daniel",
    "url" : "https://news.mtflogistics.com.au/mtf-logistics-pty-ltd-blog/author/daniel"
  },
  "dateModified" : "2026-03-18T19:44:59.633Z",
  "datePublished" : "2026-03-17T21:45:23.000Z",
  "headline" : "Container Shipping Lines Offer Convoluted Routings on Asia to Middle East Legs",
  "image" : [ "https://news.mtflogistics.com.au/hubfs/container2-1.jpg" ],
  "mainEntityOfPage" : {
    "@id" : "https://news.mtflogistics.com.au/mtf-logistics-pty-ltd-blog/container-shipping-lines-offer-convoluted-routings-on-asia-to-middle-east-legs",
    "@type" : "WebPage"
  },
  "publisher" : {
    "@type" : "Organization",
    "logo" : {
      "@type" : "ImageObject"
    }
  }
}
```