The geopolitical disruptions in the Middle East have forced shipping lines into substantial network redesign. As a result, while ports in the impacted regions have lost liner connectivity, ports in the adjoining regions have picked up that slack. Data from UNCTAD’s Port Liner Shipping Connectivity Index shows this connectivity growth across these alternative ports in 2026 Q3, compared to the pre crisis baseline – the first full quarter before the disruptions started (2023 Q3 for the Red Sea crisis and 2025 Q4 for the Strait of Hormuz closure).
Because of the significant transit time penalties for vessels sailing to Central and Eastern Mediterranean through the Strait of Gibraltar, shipping lines have pushed African relay operations south down the Atlantic seaboard. As a result, West Africa ports have seen significant connectivity increases. (....)