Hormuz attacks hit wartime weekly high, sources say; Maersk keeps USD 1,000 fee

Market Context & Direct Impact

Attacks hit a wartime weekly high, sources say. Three maritime security sources told Reuters on 7 October of at least 12 tanker attacks around Hormuz from 28 September to 5 October, the most in any week, the sources said, since the U.S. war with Iran began on 28 February. Counts differ: IMO data cited by Reuters showed nine incidents that week; Lloyd's List Intelligence counts at least 13 attacks on tankers or gas carriers since 28 September. The Joint Maritime Information Center (JMIC), which Reuters describes as U.S. Navy-led, kept the strait at SEVERE on 4 October, citing recent Iranian attacks.

Container cargo carries the cost. Maersk first announced its USD 1,000 per container strait fee in Middle East Operational Update 40 on 22 July. Update 51 of 8 October keeps it, without an effective or end date, on top of the Emergency Freight rate, replacing separately charged Landbridge costs. That rate, for listed ports from Iraq to Oman (bar Salalah), is USD 1,800 per 20-foot dry container and USD 3,000 per 40-foot. On Middle East imports Maersk invoices the USD 1,000 fee to the local consignee.

Core Executive Takeaways

• Bookings Stay RestrictedMaersk suspends dry bookings to and from Iraq, Saudi Arabia's Dammam and Al Jubail, and the UAE except Khor Fakkan and Jebel Ali.
• Khor Fakkan CongestedMaersk reports congestion and extended truck waits at Khor Fakkan, on the UAE's Gulf of Oman coast; containers move to ICD Sajja and some bookings to Jebel Ali.
• Insurance Cover ThinsMaersk says a number of insurers have reduced or withdrawn cover for Red Sea, Gulf of Oman and Persian Gulf shipments, though Maersk Cargo Insurance still offers cover per policy terms.

Strategic Playbook

1. 1
   Re-quote every Gulf order

   Add the strait fee and, for listed ports, the emergency rate to landed cost, net of the Landbridge charges replaced, and agree in writing who pays.

2. 2
   Decide the fallback before loading

   Storage in transit is covered for 14 days, then costs USD 25 per TEU per day. Rerouting or returning before the container reaches the region avoids the emergency charge but not the standard change-of-destination fee and extra freight; within 72 hours of planned discharge, the charge applies. Confirm war-risk cover for the actual routing.

Filed 06:15 GMT, 10 October 2026, for the second edition of 8 Oct.
As agents only.

Sources

1. Update 102 to JMIC Advisory Note: 01 March – 04 October 2026Joint Maritime Information Center (published by UKMTO), published 4 October 2026
2. Tanker traffic faces growing peril in Strait of Hormuz as weekly attacks surgeReuters (republished by Baird Maritime), published 8 October 2026
3. Middle East Operational Update 51A.P. Moller - Maersk, published 8 October 2026
4. Strait of Hormuz Brief: 8 October, 2026Lloyd's List Intelligence, published 8 October 2026
5. Middle East Operational Update 40A.P. Moller - Maersk, published 22 July 2026
6. Maersk adds $1,000 per container charge for Hormuz transitsSeatrade Maritime News, published 23 July 2026
7. Attacks on tankers in Hormuz hit highest of any week since start of Iran war, sources sayReuters (republished by The Star), published 7 October 2026

Claims ledger: 12 facts and where each comes from

• Reuters, 7 October 2026 (republished by Baird Maritime on 8 October 2026): 'In the week of September 28-October 5, there had been at least 12 attacks on oil, liquefied natural gas and liquefied petroleum gas tankers around the Strait of Hormuz, according to data from three maritime security sources'. 'That was the highest number of attacks in a single week since the US war with Iran began on February 28, the sources said.'²⁷
• Reuters, 7 October 2026: 'Separate data collated by the UN's shipping agency, the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), showed nine incidents involving vessels in the same week.' The closest comparable week was 'the week of July 13 when there were eight incidents', per separate IMO data.²
• Reuters, 7 October 2026, describes the Joint Maritime Information Centre (JMIC) as 'US Navy-led'.²
• Lloyd's List Intelligence, Strait of Hormuz Brief, 8 October 2026: 'At least 13 attacks targeting tankers or gas carriers have been recorded since September 28, surpassing previous peaks seen in March and July.'⁴
• JMIC Update 102 to JMIC Advisory Note, 01 March – 04 October 2026 (ICOD 041500 UTC, 4 October 2026), Strait of Hormuz: 'Due to recent Iranian attacks, the threat level remains SEVERE, with deliberate hostile action considered as highly likely'.¹
• Maersk, Middle East Operational Update 40, dated 22 Jul 2026 (22 July 2026): 'Any vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz will incur an additional fee of USD1000/container.' Seatrade Maritime News, 23 July 2026: Maersk 'has added a new additional fee of $1,000 per container for cargo on any vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz'.⁵⁶
• Maersk, Middle East Operational Update 51, updated 08 Oct 2026 (8 October 2026): 'Shipments on vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz will incur an additional fee of USD 1,000 per container'; 'The 1000 USD fee would be on top of the Emergency Freight Rate'; 'This replaces the separately charged costs of the current Landbridge solution for shipments using this sea routing.'; 'For Middle East imports, the fee will be invoiced to the local consignee as basic ocean freight'. The page gives no effective date or end date for the fee.³
• Maersk, Middle East Operational Update 51: an Emergency Freight rate applies on cargo loading from or destined to ports in Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia (Damman & Jubail) [spelled 'Dammam' elsewhere on the page], Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Oman (except Salalah); the rate table lists USD 1800 for a 20' dry container and USD 3000 for a 40' dry container.³
• Maersk, Middle East Operational Update 51, dry cargo: 'Suspension of all booking to and from UAE (except for Khor Fakkan and Jebel Ali), Iraq, Saudi Arabia (Dammam & Al Jubail).'³
• Maersk, Middle East Operational Update 51: 'Vessel congestion and limited berthing availability at Khor Fakkan, together with high yard utilisation, road congestion and extended truck waiting times, are delaying cargo clearance.' 'To ease congestion, the terminal is relocating containers to ICD Sajja, which may affect collection arrangements.' The 'Final Port of Destination for selected shipments booked to CY Khor Fakkan will change to Jebel Ali'.³
• Maersk, Middle East Operational Update 51: 'Maersk Cargo Insurance continues to offer cover per policy terms across the Middle East'; 'A number of insurance companies have reduced or withdrawn coverage for shipments into the Red Sea, Gulf of Oman and Persian Gulf regions, particularly with respect to insurance coverage on the vessels themselves'.³
• Maersk, Middle East Operational Update 51, Option A: the Strait of Hormuz Emergency Freight rate 'covers 14 days of storage in transit'; 'Beyond this there will be storage fee of USD 25 per TEU day'. Options B (return to origin) and C (change of destination): 'If the decision is taken before the container reaches the affected region, the SoH Emergency Freight charge will not apply'; 'Freight payer pays the standard COD fee and pricing, alongside additional freight cost'; 'If chosen after the container reaches the affected region or within 72 hours of planned discharge, the SoH Emergency Freight charge will be applied.'³

Every figure above was read from its source on the day of filing and re-checked against that source by a separate fact-check before publication. Found an error? Tell the desk.