Key points:
- Tradlinx analysed 4,380 logistics articles from 20 August to 11 November 2026; 918 of them (21%) were about disruption.
- The Middle East accounted for 39.8% of disruption stories and appeared on 77 of the 84 days analysed.
- Together with the Russia–Ukraine conflict in the Black Sea, wars generated 56.1% of disruption coverage – about 11 times more than strikes.
- The data measures media attention, not financial losses, but it shows which risks shippers and carriers had to plan around.
Almost every day had a Middle East headline
The analysis was prepared by Tradlinx, a supply chain data platform. It covered 4,380 articles published by logistics news sources over 12 weeks. Of these, 918 (21%) dealt with disruption to shipping, ports or supply chains.
The Middle East dominated by a wide margin. It accounted for 365 articles, or 39.8% of all disruption coverage, and appeared in the news on 77 of the 84 days analysed. Coverage peaked on 10 September, when 14 Middle East disruption stories were published in a single day and 48 in the whole week.
The second-largest category was the Russia–Ukraine conflict and the Black Sea, with 153 articles (16.7%). Port congestion came third with 114 articles (12.4%).
What disrupted supply chains, ranked
| Cause | Articles | Share of disruption coverage |
|---|---|---|
| Middle East conflict | 365 | 39.8% |
| Russia–Ukraine / Black Sea | 153 | 16.7% |
| Port congestion | 114 | 12.4% |
| Accidents | 101 | 11.0% |
| Canals (Panama, Suez) | 80 | 8.7% |
| Weather | 54 | 5.9% |
| Strikes | 46 | 5.0% |
| Tariffs | 31 | 3.4% |
| Piracy | 29 | 3.2% |
| Cyberattacks | 15 | 1.6% |
Source: Tradlinx, 918 disruption articles, 20 August – 11 November 2026
Put together, the two wars produced 515 articles, or 56.1% of all disruption coverage. That is roughly 11 times more than strikes, which are usually seen as one of the most visible threats to supply chains.
Ports, canals and strikes
The conflicts also showed up in port data. Between August and October, the average berthing delay at Khor Fakkan in the UAE reached 116.6 hours, compared with 15.2 hours at Jebel Ali. Khor Fakkan has become a key alternative gateway for cargo that would normally sail through the Strait of Hormuz. Tradlinx tracks such delays in its Port Congestion Index.
Canals were another weak point. After transit slots at the Panama Canal were reduced on 21 August, weekly waiting times rose to 37 hours, then to 60 hours in the period from 22 August to 4 September, before falling back to 26 hours.
Strikes were concentrated in early September, when industrial action hit German and Dutch ports and the Indian port of Mundra. They caused local problems, but none of them dominated the news for long.
What it means for road transport
The analysis measures media coverage, not losses. A single cyberattack or canal blockage can cost more than weeks of reporting suggest. Still, the ranking shows where the steady pressure on supply chains has come from this autumn.
For European hauliers, both conflicts have a direct impact. The Middle East crisis has been driving fuel prices and surcharges since spring. In the Black Sea, ocean carriers have introduced war risk surcharges for Constanța, which affect costs for road and intermodal links serving the port.
