The escalating tensions in the Middle East have triggered a shipping\ncrisis in the Strait of Hormuz, now regarded as the most terrifying\nsupply disruption in the history of the global energy and commodities\nmarkets. The blockade of this vital route not only threatens oil stocks\nbut also triggers a domino effect that paralyses food and high-tech\nsupply chains across the world.<\/p>\n
The Head of the International Energy Agency (IEA), Fatih Birol,\nrevealed that this situation is an unprecedented phenomenon.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe current shipping crisis in the Strait of Hormuz is the largest\nsupply disruption in the history of the global oil market,\u201d Birol\nstated, citing the World Economic Forum (WEF) on Sunday\n(05\/04\/2026).<\/p>\n
Although the world\u2019s attention is focused on the 11 million barrels\nof oil and 140 billion cubic metres of gas flowing daily, the real\nimpact extends far beyond the energy sector. The conflict in Iran\nexposes deep vulnerabilities regarding the Middle East\u2019s role as a\nprimary supplier of non-oil commodities, from fertilisers to energy\ntransition minerals.<\/p>\n
The Arabian Gulf region is a major global agricultural hub,\ncontributing at least 20% of all seaborne fertiliser exports. The\nworld\u2019s dependence is even more acute on urea, the most widely used\nnitrogen fertiliser, with 46% of global trade originating from this\narea.<\/p>\n
This supply is crucial for major agricultural economies such as\nIndia, Brazil, and China. Analysts warn that prolonged disruptions will\ntighten availability in import-dependent regions, potentially\nskyrocketing global food production costs and increasing inflationary\npressures.<\/p>\n
Sulphur, a critical energy material and byproduct of oil and gas\nrefining, is now at rock bottom due to halted refinery operations.\nNearly half of global seaborne sulphur trade passes through the Strait\nof Hormuz, making the region a price setter for this commodity.<\/p>\n
Sulphur shortages are forcing slowdowns in manufacturing hubs such as\nIndonesia and Africa\u2019s copper belt. As a raw material for sulphuric\nacid, sulphur is essential for nickel and cobalt refining processes for\nelectric vehicle (EV) batteries, as well as a primary reagent for\nphosphate fertilisers.<\/p>\n
Around a third of global seaborne methanol trade passes through the\nStrait of Hormuz, so this disruption is tightening supplies of chemical\nraw materials for resins, coatings, and plastics. The impact will be\nfelt across the entire global chemical value chain.<\/p>\n
This situation is particularly significant for China, the world\u2019s\nlargest methanol buyer. Stocks at Chinese ports are feared to fall below\nwarning thresholds if Middle Eastern exports remain halted, ultimately\nraising costs for plastic, paint, and synthetic fibre producers.<\/p>\n
The production of synthetic graphite for EV battery anodes heavily\nrelies on petroleum coke, a byproduct of oil refining. The impact on\ngraphite prices is predicted to be more severe than other battery\nmaterials because oil refineries are likely to prioritise higher-value\noutputs amid surging prices.<\/p>\n
With shipping costs also skyrocketing, natural graphite prices face\nadditional pressure. This adds a heavy burden to EV battery costs, which\nwere already strained by nickel, cobalt, and sulphur supply\ndisruptions.<\/p>\n
The Middle East is a primary supplier of primary aluminium outside\nChina, contributing around 9% of global production. Currently, supplies\nfrom smelters in the Gulf region are severely limited due to the ongoing\nconflict.<\/p>\n
More than 150,000 tonnes of metal registered on the London Metal\nExchange have been withdrawn from warehouses, reflecting the scale of\nregional export disruptions. Given aluminium\u2019s widespread use in\nconstruction and renewable energy, the market is highly sensitive to\nsupply pressures from the Gulf.<\/p>\n
Qatar plays a vital role by supplying nearly a third of the world\u2019s\nhelium needs. Tightening helium supplies are now spilling over into the\nglobal technology supply chain, particularly in semiconductor\nmanufacturing that requires ultra-low temperatures.<\/p>\n
However, the biggest concern arises from the healthcare sector, where\nMRI machines heavily rely on liquid helium to cool their superconducting\nmagnets. Without a stable helium supply, MRI machines in hospitals\nworldwide will not be able to operate normally.<\/p>\n
Monoethylene glycol (MEG), a key material for polyester fibres and\npackaging, is one of the Gulf\u2019s most significant chemical exports, with\nvolumes reaching 6.5 million tonnes in 2025. China, the largest\nconsumer, faces acute shortages, followed by other major importers such\nas India, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Thailand.<\/p>\n
This situation is forcing Asian buyers to switch to alternative\nsuppliers in the United States. This route shift is certain to push\nprices higher in a market that previously experienced oversupply and\ndeep discounts.<\/p>\n
The Gulf region is a significant supplier of high-grade iron ore and\ndirect-reduced iron for the global steel industry. Shipowners began\navoiding the Strait of Hormuz immediately after the conflict escalated,\nmaking fleet searches extremely difficult.<\/p>\n
Buyers in Asia and India are starting to halt new procurements due to\ndelivery uncertainties. Longer transit times and logistics cost surges\nare spilling over into the steel industry, which has been operating on\nrazor-thin profit margins.<\/p>\n
Although this crisis may accelerate the transition to clean energy in\nthe long term, the current uncertainty is threatening green hydrogen\nproject timelines. The Middle East was previously positioned as a<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/not-just-oil-9-items-facing-doomsday-due-to-the-iran-war-1775656298", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }