/ Agencia Anadolu
Container shipping services to the Persian Gulf are showing signs of recovery, following disruptions caused by the recent conflict in the area.
Three container ships operated by Global Feeder Shipping (GFS) entered the Gulf between June 26 and 28. According to MarineTraffic, the vessels were the first of this type with commercial links to major shipping lines to enter the region since the start of the conflict.
The development was considered significant, given that the territory is one of the world’s main maritime trade zones, connecting the region’s major energy producers and commercial ports to global shipping routes.
The Strait of Hormuz, located at the entrance to the Persian Gulf, is a crucial strategic point for global trade and energy flow. Any disruption in the area can affect vessel itineraries, insurance costs, and the movement of goods in regional and international supply chains.
The GFS Genesis, with a capacity of 4,350 TEU, entered the Gulf on June 26 after calling at the Indian ports of Nhava Sheva and Mundra. It was followed by the GFS Precious, a vessel of 3,534 TEU, on June 27 after sailing from the terminals of Sokhna and King Abdullah. The GFS Jade, of 2,452 TEU, entered on June 28 after departing from the Pakistani port facilities of Karachi and Port Qasim.
According to MarineTraffic, the vessels appear on itineraries linked to shipping companies such as Maersk, Hapag-Lloyd and MSC, suggesting that cargo destined for major global shipping lines may be returning to circulation through feeder services in the Gulf, although large-scale container shipping activity has not yet returned to normal.
Feeders are smaller container ships that connect regional ports with larger global shipping networks, transporting containers typically between smaller regional ports and larger hub ports served by major shipping lines.
This new activity could reconnect three regional trade routes —India, the Red Sea and Pakistan— with Persian Gulf services. Furthermore, it could offer a possible alternative route for MSC and cargo linked to Gemini Cooperation, the shipping alliance between Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd.
