UAE trade under strain

UAE trade is under strain after Strait of Hormuz disruptions choked shipping, slowing exports and logistics through Dubai and Abu Dhabi ports. (project44.com) Cargo is piling up: project44 reports Jebel Ali import dwell at 46.9 days and Abu Dhabi import dwell at 48.9 days in Week 7, with 5,317 weekly diversions. (project44.com) Major carriers have paused bookings and rerouted sailings; Maersk says transits through the Strait should be avoided and has suspended certain bookings to the UAE. (maersk.com) Shipping lines have added emergency war‑risk surcharges — Hapag‑Lloyd set a WRS of $1,500 per TEU and $3,500 for reefers effective March 2, 2026. (hapag-lloyd.com) UAE officials and traders have held talks about a U.S. dollar swap line and what some describe as a Trump‑linked bailout; CNBC reports the White House has discussed a financial lifeline. (cnbc.com) President Donald Trump told CNBC on April 21 that a currency swap with the UAE “is under consideration,” and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told senators allies have requested swap lines. (bloomberg.com) (aljazeera.com) The liquidity squeeze is translating into higher logistics bills and energy risk: carriers’ surcharges, rising war‑risk insurance and longer detours are feeding into higher shipping costs while Brent and WTI spiked in April amid Hormuz tensions. (hapag-lloyd.com) (cnbc.com) The UAE has already deployed liquidity backstops at home — Jefferies estimates the central bank injected about 30 billion dirhams (≈$8.2bn) — while the Central Bank of the UAE says the financial system remains resilient with capital adequacy around 17%. (bloomberg.com) (centralbank.ae) Treasury Secretary Bessent told lawmakers swap lines “are to maintain order in the dollar funding markets,” and officials say talks with Washington will determine whether a formal backstop is offered in the coming days. (aljazeera.com)