Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) has introduced a Europe-to-Gulf multi-modal service via Saudi Arabia to avoid the blocked Strait of Hormuz, reports London area Fats & Oils International.

The service combines ocean freight, inland trucking, and feeder shipping. Vessels from Europe call at Jeddah Islamic Port and King Abdullah Port before cargo is moved by road to King Abdulaziz Port in Dammam for onward Gulf distribution.

The new route adds a land bridge to MSC's regional network, linking European export centers with Gulf markets through a single sea-land corridor. The Saudi Press Agency stated that the service connects Jeddah with major ports including Gdansk, Bremerhaven, Antwerp, Valencia, Barcelona, and Gioia Tauro.

The corridor can handle up to 16,000 containers, offering shippers significant capacity between Europe and Saudi Arabia's western coast. The launch supports Saudi Arabia's National Transport and Logistics Strategy, which aims to position the kingdom as a global trade hub.

The service comes as cargo owners reassess resilience and transit times across major trade lanes. By combining Red Sea port access with cross-country trucking and Gulf feeder links, MSC is providing importers and exporters with greater routing flexibility.

Meanwhile, maritime cyber firm Cydome has warned ship managers against disabling Automatic Identification Systems in high-risk waters such as Hormuz. Its research found that AIS deactivation does not conceal vessel positions, which remain visible through satellite gateways, leaving ships vulnerable to attack.

Cydome stated that operators relying on AIS blackouts risk creating 'zombie ships' that appear to vanish from tracking systems but remain exposed. Chief executive Nir Ayalon noted that vessels are never truly off the grid, as VSAT satellite communications continue to disclose their location.