Household Goods Shipping Update

March 9, 2026

As we enter the 2nd week of the Middle East conflict, we are starting to see a growing impact on the shipping industry.

Ocean freight to and from the Middle East is experiencing the greatest disruption, with most sailings in and out of the region diverted or cancelled altogether. Air freight is a close 2nd, with more than 37,000 flights cancelled since the war started.

Both situations tend to have a ripple effect throughout the global supply chain, especially if they persist for a while. In the short term, we have seen emergency freight increases and emergency conflict surcharges. The price of oil has increased 50%, with analysts saying the sky is the limit, which will impact shipping everywhere, including U.S. domestic shipping. In the United States, Diesel has increased by over 50 cents a gallon in March alone.

Household goods services are available in all Middle East markets, with some crew capacity in certain areas. We are seeing an increase in requests to move people in and out of the region. If you have similar needs coming up, we recommend you start the process sooner rather than later.

Shipping remains stable in most other global markets.

Finally, some great news for my fellow frequent fliers: United Airlines can now ban passengers who do not comply with its new regulations. Passengers must wear headphones when using any device with sound. United reserves the right to remove those who do not follow the rules and potentially ban them from future flights. Who else is with me to celebrate this and encourage other airlines to adopt similar policies?

As always, thank you for your questions, feedback, and news from your part of the world!