Russia May Regain Dominance in SE Asia–Europe Freight Routes Amid Hormuz Strait Disruption

According to sputniknews.cn, Sergey Shishkaryov, founder and Board Chairman of Russia’s largest transport holding company, Dero Group, stated that Russia may regain its dominant role in freight transit between Southeast Asia and Europe — a shift driven by the near-total halt of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz following escalating Middle East hostilities.

Strait of Hormuz Shipping Halted Amid Unprecedented Crisis

The first International Transport and Logistics Forum, held in Saint Petersburg from April 1–3, served as the platform for Shishkaryov’s remarks. He described the current Middle East crisis — triggered by U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iranian territory on February 28, followed by Iranian retaliatory strikes on Israeli soil and U.S. military targets in the region — as a century-scale global logistics shock. According to Shishkaryov, this crisis is “today striking the economies of all countries in the Persian Gulf.” As a direct consequence, maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has effectively ceased.

Geopolitical Shock Triggers Fundamental Shift in Global Freight Flows

Shishkaryov emphasized that global logistics are undergoing a fundamental transformation in real time. He linked this shift explicitly to the Hormuz disruption, noting that alternative overland and rail corridors — particularly those traversing Russian territory — are now gaining strategic relevance. Historically, Russia played a pivotal role in Eurasian land-based freight, especially via the Trans-Siberian Railway and the North–South Transport Corridor (INSTC) framework. While INSTC remains underutilized due to infrastructure gaps and sanctions-related constraints, the sudden closure of Hormuz has intensified scrutiny of Russia’s potential as a neutral, high-capacity transit corridor.

This development arrives against a backdrop of broader industry recalibration: Maersk and MSC have rerouted vessels around the Cape of Good Hope since late 2023 amid Red Sea attacks, adding 10–14 days to Asia–Europe voyages and pushing average container freight rates up over 200% year-on-year (Drewry, March 2024). Meanwhile, rail freight volumes on the China–Europe route rose 12% YoY in Q1 2024 (UN ECE), with growing interest in multimodal extensions linking Central Asia and Russia to Southeast Asian ports via Laos–China railway and Thailand’s Eastern Economic Corridor.

Practical Implications for Supply Chain Professionals

For global supply chain professionals, the Hormuz shutdown underscores acute exposure to chokepoint risk — especially for shippers reliant on just-in-time inventory models or time-sensitive goods. While Russian transit capacity remains constrained by sanctions on financial settlement, insurance, and equipment leasing, contingency planning must now include rigorous assessment of northern land corridors. Key considerations include customs clearance timelines at Russia–Kazakhstan and Russia–Belarus borders, real-time railcar tracking capabilities, and multimodal handoff reliability at key nodes like Novosibirsk or Moscow. Shishkaryov’s statement signals not an immediate operational pivot, but a structural inflection point demanding updated risk mapping and dual-sourcing strategies across maritime and overland lanes.

“We are seeing a shift in freight flows. We clearly feel it today — perhaps right now — that the Russian Federation, as the largest transit transport corridor, may gain or regain dominance in the movement of goods between Southeast Asia and Europe, becoming a reliable channel in international economic relations.” — Sergey Shishkaryov, Founder and Board Chairman, Dero Group

Source: sputniknews.cn

Compiled from international media by the SCI.AI editorial team.