Kuala lumpur: Ports, shipping lines and cargo owners are now confronting the formidable task of restoring global supply chains and clearing a backlog of vessels and cargo built up during months of conflict in and around the Strait of Hormuz, a process that industry players say could take weeks or even months.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, for Malaysia, the gradual restoration of shipping activity between Asia, the Middle East and Europe could translate into higher vessel traffic and cargo movements through ports along the Strait of Melaka, one of the world's busiest maritime trade routes representing nearly 22 percent of global trade and 29 percent of maritime oil.
Federation of Malaysian Freight Forwarders (FMFF) president Datuk Dr. Tony Chia Han Teun explained that the sailing of the vessels through Hormuz would likely be done through three phases, prioritizing energy cargo before gradually restoring container and bulk shipping networks over the coming weeks and months. "We expect the first phase or initial reopening will almost certainly be given to crude oil tankers, liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers, refined petroleum product tankers and strategic government-chartered vessels," he told Bernama.
Based on FMFF conversations with shipping alliances, Chia stated that the other two phases would involve clearing the backlog, where the main congestion occurs, with industry assessments suggesting that simply clearing the tanker queue could take roughly 10 to 15 days after reopening. "At this stage, container vessels begin moving in larger numbers, followed by bulk carriers (transporting grain, minerals, coal) and thereafter general cargo and project cargo vessels would resume scheduled transits," Chia said.
Chia further noted that phase 3 or network recovery is often the part many people overlook, as even after ships pass through Hormuz, global shipping schedules remain disrupted. "One major liner operator has reportedly estimated around six weeks to restore a fully normal network once vessels can move freely again," he added.
The backlog and freight rates are expected to ease gradually. More than 102,500 ships passed through the Melaka Strait in 2025. Currently, 135 days since the passage through Hormuz was first restricted on February 28, the Strait of Hormuz tracker showed that about 2,000 vessels were stranded due to the West Asia conflict, with 34 vessels transiting the area and about 250 vessels comprising bulk carriers, tankers and others waiting for their turn.
On whether freight rates would come down, Chia mentioned that rates for the oil tankers are expected to go down quite quickly. "The war-risk premium and scarcity premium that pushed tanker rates higher should begin easing once insurers gain confidence and vessel queues shrink," he said.
Against this backdrop, Pelabuhan Tanjung Pelepas Sdn Bhd (PTP), which operates the Port of Tanjung Pelepas, remains optimistic about its prospects for the second half (2H) of 2026. PTP chief executive officer Mark Hardiman stated that any recovery in trade flows is positive for the industry. However, any increase in transshipment activity will depend on how shipping lines restore their networks and schedules.
Maritime, logistics, and supply chain analyst Nazery Khalid concurred that the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz marks only the beginning of the recovery process, with the maritime industry still needing to work through a substantial backlog of vessels and cargo affected by the disruption. He noted that the experience from the COVID-19 pandemic illustrates how long supply-chain bottlenecks can take to unwind.
The latest development in West Asia saw both the United States and Iran exchanging attacks after indirect ceasefire talks ended a couple of weeks ago without any public sign of headway toward a lasting peace, despite a 60-day ceasefire intended to create space for diplomacy following the US and Israeli strikes that triggered the conflict.