Published · Updated
By Labco Marine · Shipping & Maritime Insights
Why Gulf port restrictions require service-by-service checks, and why disruption does not automatically establish force majeure.
Shipping disruption in the Gulf needs to be described precisely. A suspension of loading at a particular installation, a restriction on vessel movements and a carrier’s suspension of bookings are different events. None should be presented as evidence of a total shutdown of every port service without a reliable notice supporting that conclusion.
An Inchcape Shipping Services advisory issued on 16 March 2026 described differing operational conditions across UAE ports. It reported restrictions alongside ongoing or resumed activity, including resumed operations at Fujairah Oil Tanker Terminals, unavailable berths and a suspension at the Vopak single-point mooring. The advisory supports a location- and facility-specific account, not the earlier blanket description of a total work stoppage.
That distinction is commercially important. A vessel may face an unavailable berth while another terminal or service continues to operate. The practical decision must use the latest instruction from the relevant authority, terminal or agent, together with the master’s assessment and the vessel’s requirements. A historical advisory cannot establish today’s operating status.
Force majeure is also a contractual question, not a consequence automatically produced by a disruption headline. The clause, governing law and facts determine whether relief is available. Notice deadlines, evidence requirements, mitigation obligations and the effect on performance or termination must be considered separately. Higher costs or inconvenience alone do not establish that a particular contract permits relief.
Before postponing, diverting or cancelling a call, the parties should record the specific unavailable operation, when they learned about it and which alternatives were investigated. They should check berth access, cargo handling, bunkering and vessel clearance independently, and obtain written confirmation of any revised arrangements. Insurance and charterparty notices may have different recipients and deadlines.
This article is a retrospective explanation based on the dated advisory below. It is not a live navigational warning, a port-closure notice or a force-majeure declaration by Labco Marine. For an upcoming call, obtain current port information and specialist advice on the relevant contract before relying on any exemption from performance.