Chinese shipping giants are signing long contracts and rejigging their networks, as they hedge against prolonged disruptions to global trade routes
2-MIN READ2-MIN ListenCarol Yangin BeijingPublished: 9:30pm, 8 May 2026China’s shipping giants are bracing for a harsh new reality of persistent global volatility, as the closure of the Strait of Hormuz shifts from being a problem of transit delays to a hard volume shock.
The company currently bypasses the chokepoint using longer routes that require the use of several vessels or multiple modes of transport.
In a briefing with investors early last month, the firm’s general manager, Tao Weidong, played down the financial blow dealt by the war, noting that Middle East routes account for a relatively small portion of Cosco Shipping Holdings’ total revenue.
“The company is not currently considering resuming passage through the Strait of Hormuz,” Tao said, adding they remained on high alert.
