Freight Forwarders Warn of Phased Recovery Even If Hormuz Reopens

A potential peace agreement between Iran and the United States is generating cautious optimism across the shipping and logistics sectors, but freight forwarders are urging restraint when assessing how quickly global trade flows could normalize. According to ShippingWatch, several logistics companies expect meaningful market recovery only after the security situation has been fully clarified and container shipping lines have regained confidence in routing vessels through the Strait of Hormuz. US freight forwarder C.H. Robinson is among those tempering expectations. The company has indicated that even a rapid reopening of the Strait of Hormuz would not eliminate the disruptions already cascading through global supply chains. The imbalances and bottlenecks created by months of rerouting and uncertainty are not expected to resolve overnight. The sentiment across freight forwarding companies reflects a measured view of the timeline ahead. As one industry participant framed it, the recovery will occur in phases. This phased outlook acknowledges that logistics companies are heavily reliant on the decisions of container shipping lines, which must independently assess route safety, insurance conditions, and operational viability before returning to Hormuz transits at scale. Sources: ShippingWatch