Middle East corridor crisis: truck costs exceed $10,000
Delays in Saudi Arabian transit visas have stalled shipments to the Middle East. Iskender Kaplan, Chairman of the TIM Carpet Sector Council, announced that freight costs have exceeded $10,000.
According to a report by Dünya Gazetesi, İskender Kaplan, Chairman of the Carpet Sector Council of the Turkish Exporters Assembly (TİM), reported that a bottleneck in transport to the Middle East and Gulf markets has pushed freight costs above $10,000 per truck and brought shipments to a standstill.
Following the closure of sea routes amid geopolitical tensions involving Iran, the United States and Israel, exports were forced onto the Türkiye–Syria–Jordan–Saudi Arabia land corridor. Kaplan stated that Saudi authorities either refused transit visas to Turkish truck drivers or delayed processing for months, creating kilometers-long queues at border crossings. Orders destined for Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Oman and Yemen via this route were reported to be held up in factories and customs. Stating that the crisis affects not only the carpet sector but all manufacturers working in the region, Kaplan called for urgent diplomatic intervention from the Ministry of Trade and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Background
According to TİM data, carpet exports rose 6.3 percent in August 2026 to reach $246.5 million, while total volume for the first eight months of the year was recorded at $1.74 billion. The Middle East market has traditionally been among the highest-volume buyers of Turkish floor coverings and home textiles, and disruptions in logistics lines are straining cash flow.
Why it matters
The transit visa crisis pushing truck costs above the $10,000 threshold directly puts delivery commitments at risk. Delays in carpet, upholstery and home textile deliveries to wholesalers and retailers in the Gulf significantly increase the risk of manufacturers facing penalty charges and order cancellations.
What members can do
Delivery timelines should be renegotiated with Gulf buyers through transparent sharing of delay risks, and force majeure clauses in contracts should be reviewed. While alternative transit routes and customs clearance options are discussed with carriers, official announcements from the Ministry of Trade regarding border crossings should be followed closely.
This content was compiled with AI assistance from the cited source — Dünya Gazetesi. (EU 2024/1689 Art. 50)
