KARACHI: Pakistan’s Karachi Gateway Terminal Limited (KGTL) said this week it has suspended acceptance of new export cargo bound for Gulf destinations after shipping lines temporarily halted bookings amid escalating conflict in the Middle East.
The suspension comes as Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz and heightened regional military tensions disrupt maritime traffic and raise concerns over vessel safety, insurance costs and routing through one of the world’s most critical shipping corridors.
The Strait of Hormuz connects the Gulf to the Arabian Sea and handles a significant share of global oil flows as well as container traffic to Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) markets. Pakistan relies heavily on Gulf trade routes for both energy imports and exports, particularly textiles, food products and manufactured goods destined for the UAE, Saudi Arabia and other regional markets.
In an advisory issued on March 2, KGTL said shipping lines operating Gulf services had “temporarily suspended booking acceptance from Pakistan and placed their Gulf services on hold until further notice.”
“Accordingly, Karachi Gateway Terminal Limited has suspended acceptance of all new export cargo on Gulf services with immediate effect,” the advisory said.
The terminal directed agents and shippers not to dispatch Gulf-bound cargo to the facility until further notice. It added that export receivables for non-Gulf services would continue as normal.
The suspension reflects mounting uncertainty across regional shipping lanes following US-Israeli strikes in Iran and Tehran’s subsequent retaliation, which has heightened war-risk classifications and forced shipping operators to reassess schedules.
While no timeline was provided for resumption, KGTL said acceptance would restart once shipping lines reinstate Gulf services and reopen bookings.
The disruption adds to economic concerns in Pakistan, which has already moved to closely monitor fuel supplies and energy markets amid volatility triggered by the conflict.
