Hormuz crisis drives up aid costs, IFRC warns of sustainability threat

2026-03-26 - 07:29

The ongoing crisis in the Strait of Hormuz is inflicting severe strain on global humanitarian supply chains, with transport costs surging and delivery times stretching from hours to weeks, according to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). Nikola Jovanovic, the organization’s global supply chain coordinator for emergencies, told Anadolu that while aid agencies are managing for now, continued disruption could eventually force cuts to the speed, scale, or reach of assistance. Cost surge across all transport modes IFRC data reveals that sea freight costs have risen approximately 70 percent overall, with spikes reaching 300 percent on certain routes due to rerouting, port congestion, and reduced sailings from the UAE. Goods are now being trucked to alternative ports such as Jeddah, adding roughly $5,000 per container. Air freight has jumped 50 to 70 percent, driven by a shift from sea transport and volatile fuel surcharges. Land transport costs have climbed 20 to 30 percent amid border delays and driver shortages. These increases come as humanitarian funding declines, meaning every dollar now buys significantly less assistance. Delays compound humanitarian crisis Jovanovic illustrated the severity of the delays with a concrete example: aid shipments routed from Dubai to Cairo for Gaza and Palestine, which normally would take hours via airlift, now require 10 to 15 days by road and ferry combinations. The most vulnerable communities—those in active conflict zones, remote border areas, and landlocked regions dependent on imported aid—are bearing the brunt of these disruptions. Hard-to-reach populations across the Horn of Africa, Central Africa, and sub‐Saharan Africa face the first cuts to food and medical supplies when supply chains falter. A wake‐up call for the humanitarian system Humanitarian organizations are adapting by diversifying supply routes and increasing local sourcing, but Jovanovic warned that these measures may not hold if disruptions persist. “If this trend continues, some of the trade-offs will become inevitable, either with the speed of delivery or the scale of assistance or the geographical coverage,” he said. He called for a structural shift toward greater resilience, including regional sourcing and reduced reliance on global hubs. “I think that humanity today needs to wake up as soon as possible,” Jovanovic added, noting that the moral obligation to save lives is now “on the lowest possible point.” Türkiye’s role as a humanitarian hub As regional logistics face unprecedented strain, Türkiye has emerged as a critical alternative hub for humanitarian operations. With its strategic location bridging Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, Turkish ports and airports have become vital transit points for aid destined for conflict zones. Ankara’s own humanitarian efforts—including one of the world’s largest official development assistance programs relative to national income—demonstrate a sustained commitment to alleviating suffering. Turkish officials have repeatedly emphasized that the international community must uphold the “humanitarian imperative” and ensure that geopolitical conflicts do not come at the expense of innocent lives.