Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) announced a plan Monday to create a new logistics route connecting Europe and the Middle East while bypassing the Strait of Hormuz [1].

The strategy aims to secure container cargo transport by eliminating the risks associated with potential closures of the Strait of Hormuz [1], [2]. Because the strait is a critical chokepoint for global trade, any disruption there can trigger immediate spikes in shipping costs and fuel prices.

Under the proposed plan, cargo will travel through the Suez Canal to the western coast of Saudi Arabia on the Red Sea [1]. From there, the goods will move across a land bridge spanning approximately 1,300 kilometers [1] before reaching the Persian Gulf, where they can be distributed to the United Arab Emirates, Iraq, and other regional hubs via smaller container ships [1].

Bloomberg said the Swiss-based company is the world's largest container shipping line [1]. The move comes as regional tensions make traditional maritime corridors less predictable for global logistics firms.

This shift in logistics strategy aligns with broader efforts to diversify energy and trade dependencies in the region. The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) said the procurement of alternative crude oil from the Middle East that avoids the Strait of Hormuz will intensify starting in May [3].

MSC has not detailed the specific infrastructure investments required to maintain the 1,300-kilometer land corridor, but the plan represents a significant pivot toward multimodal transport to ensure supply chain resilience [1].

“MSC plans a new logistics route connecting Europe and the Middle East while bypassing the Strait of Hormuz.”

The move by MSC signals a strategic shift toward 'land-bridging' to mitigate geopolitical risks. By integrating maritime and overland transport, the company is reducing its vulnerability to maritime chokepoints. This trend suggests that the world's largest shipping entities are now prioritizing reliability and risk avoidance over the traditional cost-efficiencies of purely sea-based routes.