Global supply chains could take three to six months to return to normal even after shipping disruptions linked to the Iran conflict ease, Tobias Maier, CEO of DHL Global Forwarding for the Middle East and Africa, said. The disruption is affecting freight costs, container availability and congestion at alternative ports, with India-Europe trade among the most affected routes.
Maier said the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, a key maritime passage for regional trade, would not immediately restore normal cargo movement. Even after shipping routes reopen, imbalances in container flows would continue to affect ocean freight operations, delaying the return of equipment and cargo capacity to their earlier positions.
The disruption has created higher operating costs for businesses in the region as carriers and logistics providers manage container shortages and congestion at substitute ports. The effect extends beyond shipping schedules because companies depend on coordinated movement across ports, road networks, warehouses and cross-border freight routes.
DHL mobilised between 500 and 700 vehicles from the market within the first 48 hours of the conflict to service customers, according to Maier. The move indicates the extent to which logistics operators are using road transport and alternative arrangements to maintain cargo movement while maritime operations remain disrupted.
The consequences are particularly significant for India-Europe trade, which Maier identified as one of the trade flows most affected by the regional disruption. The report did not specify the volume of cargo delayed or the additional freight costs faced by Indian exporters and importers, but it noted that container shortages and congestion at alternative ports were continuing to put pressure on regional supply chains.
DHL is also exploring the lease of around 500 trucks for cross-border operations to improve intra-Gulf Cooperation Council connectivity by the first quarter of 2027. The proposed expansion would support road-based freight movement within the Gulf region, although the company has not announced a final leasing arrangement.
Maier said supply chains generally require three to six months to get back in sync after a major disruption in ocean freight. The timeframe reflects the interdependence of shipping capacity, containers, ports, inland transport and cross-border logistics. For businesses serving India-Europe routes, the expected recovery period means that the end of an immediate shipping disruption would not necessarily mark the end of operational delays.
The next key development for regional logistics will be whether the Strait of Hormuz reopens and how quickly container flows and port operations can stabilise afterwards. DHL’s planned review of additional truck capacity is expected to inform its cross-border logistics response through the first quarter of 2027.
