Nearly six months after shipping through the Strait of Hormuz was severely disrupted, the MENA lumber market is still operating through alternative ports, overland routes and additional transshipment. Demand has not disappeared, but the geography of the trade has changed sharply. Saudi Arabia and major North African markets are absorbing substantial volumes, while expensive logistics continue to constrain business deeper inside the Gulf.

Traffic through Hormuz remains far below normal levels, forcing carriers and timber traders to rely on alternative routing through Jeddah, Khor Fakkan, Salalah and Sohar.

The initial shock has therefore developed into a more permanent logistics problem. Lumber can reach Gulf customers, but the cost of getting it there has changed the economics of many transactions.

Emergency freight charges on affected routes remain around $3,000 per 40-foot dry container, before additional costs for overland transport, extra handling, storage, detention, insurance and container repositioning.

For commodity spruce and pine, these costs can quickly eliminate the margin available to either the exporter or importer.