A short Sunday note on what's moving in Kuwait inbound freight this week — three signals we're tracking for our own bookings, written for importers planning the week ahead.
Three things on our desk this week for Kuwait inbound.
- Far East to Med long-term ocean rates are down roughly 25% from end-of-2025. Spot has not absorbed it yet. If you're booking Q3 arrival, you have leverage. Push.
- Hormuz schedule variance is the bigger story than the Strait itself. We've had vessel ETAs slipping 20–40% past published schedule on direct Asia → Shuwaikh services for 90 days running. Reroutes via Sohar, Khorfakkan, and Jeddah are pricing in 5–11% above Hormuz-direct — for most importers we work with, that's a fair trade for ETA confidence.
- GCC 12-digit tariff codes — six months in and we're still seeing invoices arrive with the old 8-digit format. If your supplier hasn't updated, that's where most of the unexplained Shuwaikh delays come from.
Want a benchmark on your next inbound? qafxpress.com — same-day quote during Kuwait business hours.