Air freight costs for China shippers tipped to rise 30% as Middle East airspace shuts down
China-Europe cargo flights face longer routes and higher fuel costs after Middle East airspace closures, the Hong Kong Association of Freight Forwarding & Logistics says
Air freight costs for China-reliant shippers may rise by up to 30 per cent due to the suspension of Middle East air routes triggered by US and Israeli strikes on Iran, a Hong Kong-based logistics association said.
The Hong Kong Association of Freight Forwarding & Logistics made the estimate based on “market feedback” since the strikes began on Saturday, the trade group told the South China Morning Post in an emailed statement.
Most of the group’s 303 corporate members operate in mainland China.
Shippers moving cargo between China and Europe are facing longer flight times, increased congestion and higher fuel consumption, the statement said.
“As our chairman advised, the sudden suspension of Middle East air routes has already tightened global air‑freight capacity,” it said. “Many airlines have long relied on Middle Eastern airspace for Europe‑bound flights,” the statement added.
US and Israeli forces began missile strikes on Saturday after weeks of failed negotiations over Iran’s nuclear ambitions, triggering a conflict that US President Donald Trump said could last from several weeks to more than a month.