The recent armed conflict between Israel and Iran between 13th and 24th June 2025 led to fears that Iran could seek to close the Strait of Hormuz. This article considers the strategic importance of the Strait as a gateway for global trade and the shipping markets and supply chains that would be most affected.

This article offers an overview of UK maritime freight in a global context across various cargo types since 2018. UK port throughput has generally declined driven by factors such as Brexit, the decline in North Sea oil and decarbonisation of the UK’s energy mix, and global economic disruptions. Container traffic experienced the greatest reduction, while other types of cargo such as dry bulk, liquid bulk, and roll-on/roll-off (RORO) freight also experienced notable declines.