“Deeply concerned” is how the UK Chamber of Shipping summed up the threat to crews as conflict in the Middle East spills into global trade. Hours later, Downing Street confirmed Prime Minister Keir Starmer spoke with Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney on Sunday 15 March, with both leaders focusing on the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and the hit to international shipping. (ukchamberofshipping.com)

They will take it up again when they meet on Monday 16 March, alongside wider UK–Canada issues. The timing matters for firms across the North who depend on predictable sailings for everything from steel and chemicals to automotive parts. The question now is how long the disruption lasts and how quickly routes can be stabilised.

Shipping traffic through Hormuz has ground to a halt in recent days, with Associated Press reporting that the strait has effectively stopped commercial movement as the war escalates - a serious choke on a passage that normally carries roughly a fifth of the world’s oil. (apnews.com)

On the quaysides, the impact is already being felt in planning. Liverpool Chamber warned on 3 March that instability across parts of the Middle East is causing significant disruption to maritime and air‑freight operations, with many shipping lines adjusting services. That’s feeding into decisions this week at the Port of Liverpool, Teesport, the Humber ports and the Tyne as schedulers shuffle calls, storage and onward rail and road moves. (liverpoolchamber.org.uk)

Data from project44 shows just how sharp the pivot has been: average daily ocean freight diversions have surged more than 360% since the strait was declared closed, as carriers stage vessels in safer waters and redesign rotations. For Northern cargo owners, that means longer transits, messy timetables and tighter equipment availability. (project44.com)

Carriers are also pulling levers on price and risk. S&P Global notes major lines have suspended bookings to and from the upper Gulf, while Maersk and others have rolled out emergency freight increases. Regional advisories list fresh war‑risk and conflict surcharges too, with some lines setting extra charges running into the low thousands of dollars per container. (spglobal.com)

Insurance is moving as well. The UK Chamber of Shipping says some cover is being withdrawn, with operators urged to rely on verified guidance from maritime security authorities and to update risk assessments before any Gulf movements. That lands back at freight desks in the North who are now re‑pricing contracts and checking clauses. (ukchamberofshipping.com)

Beyond oil, UN Trade and Development warns of wider risks to energy products and fertiliser inputs, while Wood Mackenzie highlights the strain on LNG flows out of Qatar. For Teesside chemicals, Humber energy users and food producers reliant on imported fertiliser, the squeeze could show up first in costings before any outright shortages. (unctad.org)

Diplomacy is running in parallel. Washington has floated naval escorts to reopen the waterway “as soon as it is possible for safe passage,” and Carney’s European trip includes a UK leg, aligning with Monday’s meeting. None of that guarantees a quick fix, but it sets the frame for decisions on rerouting and insurance in the days ahead. (axios.com)

For Northern operators, the short‑term playbook is familiar: bring forward orders where possible, plan for Cape diversions and keep a close eye on dwell times and storage. Research out of the University of Hull suggests more unitised freight can be rebalanced towards the Humber and other North Sea gateways, cutting inland miles and giving shippers options while Gulf traffic is constrained. The next fortnight will test how quickly that theory can be turned into reality on the Tyne, Tees and Mersey. (abports.co.uk)