Four Hapag-Lloyd container ships continue to sit at anchor in the Persian Gulf, unable to depart despite earlier indications that a departure was imminent, according to ShippingWatch.
The vessels are reported to be ready to sail but are waiting until conditions at the Strait of Hormuz are deemed safe enough to transit. ShippingWatch notes that MSC appears to have managed to send out a single vessel at the end of last week, though Hapag-Lloyd’s fleet has not yet followed.
Strait of Hormuz Remains a Bottleneck
The situation underlines the ongoing uncertainty surrounding the Strait of Hormuz, which has become a focal point for global container shipping disruption. The narrow waterway connecting the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman is a critical passage for a significant share of global maritime trade, and any prolonged restriction on its use has wide-reaching consequences for supply chains and vessel routing.
Hapag-Lloyd had previously prepared to exit the Strait of Hormuz over the weekend, but as of the time of ShippingWatch’s reporting on 22 June 2026, the four ships remain in place with no confirmed timeline for departure.
Does This Matter to You?
With major carriers effectively holding vessels in the Persian Gulf while monitoring conditions at the Strait of Hormuz, the development points to continued disruption across container shipping routes connecting Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. Freight scheduling, vessel availability, and port timing are all areas that may be affected as long as this situation persists.
ShippingWatch also reports that other carriers, including Maersk, have maintained a wait-and-see approach regarding the strait, suggesting that Hapag-Lloyd is not alone in its caution. The contrast between MSC’s reported single departure and the broader hesitation among carriers may signal that individual operators are assessing risk differently as they monitor developments in real time.
According to ShippingWatch, at least one analyst has urged realism and caution in light of a reported Hormuz agreement, while logistics companies are also flagging potential bottlenecks and imbalances even if a peace deal materialises — noting that “even in a positive scenario, the recovery will occur in phases.”
The coming days will be critical in determining whether shipping traffic through the strait resumes at scale or whether carriers continue to keep vessels at anchor pending further clarity.
Gulf Bunkering does not provide operational or security guidance. This article is for informational purposes only. Operators should consult flag state authorities, P&I clubs, and relevant advisories for decisions relating to transit planning.
Sources: ShippingWatch
