The Strait of Hormuz crisis is reshaping Gulf maritime trade, boosting Khorfakkan Port's container transport significantly.
The ongoing security crisis in the Strait of Hormuz has led to significant changes in maritime trade for Gulf countries. Weekly road container transportation at Khorfakkan Port in the United Arab Emirates has risen from 8,000 TEU to 65,000 TEU, while the increasing ship traffic and port congestion have brought autonomous electric railway systems to the forefront as a new solution.
The crisis in Hormuz has altered trade routes.
Security issues in the Strait of Hormuz, one of the most critical transit points for global trade in the Persian Gulf, have accelerated the use of new routes in international container shipping.
Major container shipping companies such as Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd have begun using Khorfakkan Port, located on the coast of the Gulf of Oman, as an alternative entry point instead of Jebel Ali Port in Dubai, which requires passage through the Strait of Hormuz.
Under normal circumstances, Khorfakkan primarily operated as a transshipment hub for container-to-container transfers, but with the crisis, it has transformed into a significant logistics center for delivering cargo to the interior regions of the United Arab Emirates.
Port operator Gulftainer has created new exit gates for road transportation at the terminal, where a large portion of containers were previously transferred by sea.
Weekly container volume has risen to 65,000 TEU.
At Khorfakkan Port, the volume of containers transported by road, which was approximately 8,000 TEU at the beginning of 2026, reached 65,000 TEU during the major route changes caused by the Hormuz crisis.
This rapid growth has placed significant pressure on the port's existing infrastructure.
On October 26, Maersk warned that the ship congestion at Khorfakkan, full container yards, road traffic jams, and long truck waiting times were delaying the removal of cargo from the port.
To accommodate the increased cargo volume, containers have started to be transported by road from Khorfakkan to the Sajaa logistics area in Sharjah Emirate.
Autonomous electric wagon solution for port traffic.
The logistical intensity in Gulf countries has brought forth new technologies as alternatives to traditional truck and freight train transportation.
Battery-powered, autonomous railway wagons developed by the U.S.-based Parallel Systems are being considered among the systems that can be used for short-distance container transportation.
In September 2026, Agility's corporate venture capital arm made an agreement to develop, finance, and implement Parallel Systems technology in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries.
In October, Agility Global participated in the company's $100 million funding round.
The goal is for electric wagons, which can operate alone or in connected groups, to transport smaller container batches without waiting for large freight trains to fill up.
However, the system has not yet been commercially operational at Gulf ports. The determination of the routes to be used, testing, and official approval processes are ongoing.
Rail connections are expanding.
In the United Arab Emirates, Etihad Rail began operating three container trains weekly between Fujairah Terminals and Abu Dhabi Industrial City starting September 20.
This connection allows containers to be transported by rail from the port to the interior regions, with customs procedures being conducted at the destination.
Meanwhile, work is also ongoing on the Hafeet Rail project, which will connect Oman’s Sohar Port to the United Arab Emirates railway network. The Omani Ministry of Transport expects trial runs to begin by the end of 2027.
On November 8, transportation ministers from Gulf Cooperation Council countries are scheduled to meet in Manama, the capital of Bahrain, to discuss the operational rules of the regional railway network.
Khorfakkan Port's capacity will be increased to 10 million TEU.
Gulftainer, the operator of Khorfakkan Port, is undertaking a comprehensive expansion program to meet increasing demand.
The company aims to gradually increase the port's annual container handling capacity to 5 million TEU, and subsequently to over 10 million TEU.
The project not only includes expanding the port area but also establishing new logistics centers in the interior regions.
The Sajaa and Al Dhaid logistics centers are planned to provide a total annual capacity of 2.3 million TEU. Connecting the Al Dhaid center to the Etihad Rail network is also one of the key components of the project.
A new era in Gulf transportation.
The security issues in the Strait of Hormuz have heightened the importance of not only the geographical location of ports in container shipping but also the road and rail connections.
The rapid transformation of Khorfakkan Port into a major cargo transshipment and distribution center has highlighted the extent to which maritime transportation relies on alternative land corridors during crisis periods.
However, for autonomous electric wagons to become widespread, it is necessary to complete regulations regarding technical infrastructure, railway access rights, customs practices, and operational safety.
Source: SeaNews Türkiye
