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Market signal · 2026-05-24 · 1 min read · by Qaf Xpress team

Kuwait inbound radar — week of 25 May 2026

Three signals for Kuwait importers planning May and June bookings: Hormuz has reopened but surcharges still lag, China 20-foot box rates are climbing, and Asia-GCC air freight has softened.

A quick week-ahead read for anyone moving cargo into Kuwait — three signals worth a glance before you commit a May or June booking.

1. Hormuz is open again — but your invoice won't show it yet

The strait has reopened, which is good news. But war-risk and bunker surcharges lag the base rate by a billing cycle or two. If a forwarder quotes you a "post-reopening" drop this week, ask which line items actually moved. Most of the relief is still on paper, not on your landed cost.

2. Box size is now a pricing decision

Out of China, 20-foot containers ticked up roughly 10% this month while 40-foot high-cube boxes held flat. If your volume sits on the borderline, consolidating up a size is the cheaper unit-cost move right now.

3. Air freight softened slightly

Asia-to-GCC air eased around 5% this month — a small window if a sea booking is running late and you need to recover transit time without paying a panic premium.

Planning a shipment?

If you have a May or June shipment and you are not sure which lane to commit, send us the cargo details. We will show you the real line items — not the headline rate. Reach us at qafxpress.com.


Need a real quote on a Kuwait-bound shipment?

Send origin port, container type or weight, and cargo description. We come back within 4 business hours.

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