How HAPCO Kept Cargo Moving in 2026: Our Real Story

How HAPCO Kept Cargo Moving in 2026: Our Real Story

Most freight forwarders don’t talk publicly about the moment their entire operation changed overnight. We’re going to, because our clients deserve to know exactly what happened and how we responded — not a polished version, the real one.

What Changed

For years, HAPCO moved cargo through two main ports: Bandar Abbas, Jebel Ali. Bandar Abbas, in particular, carried the bulk of our sea freight volume — it was fast, direct, and familiar to every client we worked with.

Then, in February 2026, the regional conflict closed the Strait of Hormuz. Almost overnight, Bandar Abbas stopped being a viable option. Jebel Ali, reachable only through the same waterway, became impractical too.

The Decision We Made

We had a choice to make quickly: pause operations and wait, or rebuild our routing around what still worked. We chose to rebuild.

Within weeks, we shifted our entire sea freight model to overland trucking from Iran into Mersin, Turkey and Poti, Georgia — then onward by sea from there. This wasn’t a small adjustment. It meant renegotiating with shipping lines, rebuilding transit-time expectations for every destination we serve, and being honest with clients that some routes would now take longer than before.

What We Learned

Trucking to Mersin and Poti added real transit time on many routes — Australia, for example, now runs around 80 days instead of the faster pre-war timeline. We don’t hide this. Every quote we give reflects the actual current route, not an outdated number from before the war.

At the same time, this shift revealed genuine advantages we hadn’t fully used before. Mersin connects to well-established Mediterranean shipping lines reaching Europe, Africa, and Asia. For markets like Busan, South Korea, our new routing turned out to be surprisingly fast — just 30-40 days, among our quickest routes anywhere.

Why This Matters for You

If you’re considering shipping with us, here’s what this story tells you: we adapt, we stay operational, and we tell clients the truth about timing and routing rather than promising something we can’t deliver. When conditions change again — and they will — we’ll adjust again, and we’ll keep you informed every step of the way.

Work With a Team That Adapts

Contact HAPCO’s team to discuss your shipment and get a route plan based on how we’re actually operating right now.

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