The Middle East faces a “pressing need for the import of food” as conflict in the Gulf disrupts shipping routes, the chair of A.P. Moller-Maersk said on Wednesday.

Speaking at the company’s annual general meeting, Chair Robert Maersk Uggla highlighted the region’s heavy reliance on imported food supplies.

“This includes a pressing need for the import of food, often using cold chain solutions such as Maersk’s reefer containers, a segment where we are the market leader in the region,” Uggla said.

Countries in the Gulf Cooperation Council, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, import up to 85% of their food, according to the World Economic Forum, making them particularly vulnerable to supply disruptions.

Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has been halted amid escalating hostilities involving Iran, the United States and Israel, bringing maritime trade in the Gulf close to a standstill.

“With the Strait of Hormuz currently closed, we are working to identify alternative routes to deliver cargo into the Gulf,” Uggla said, without giving further details.

Maersk has suspended cargo bookings to several ports in the region and introduced temporary fuel surcharges to offset rising costs, reflecting broader disruption across global shipping networks.

Analysts and international agencies including the International Energy Agency and the Food and Agriculture Organization warn that prolonged disruption to key trade routes could increase pressure on food supply chains and prices in import-dependent economies.

The conflict, which escalated last month, has reduced vessel traffic through one of the world’s most critical energy and trade corridors, raising concerns over both energy flows and essential goods supply.