Saudi, UAE And Turkey Eye Alternate Route To Bypass Hormuz And Start New Logistics Corridor

Amid the ongoing tension between Iran and US, the Middle Eastern countries are now accelerating plans to build alternative trade routes and energy networks after disruptions to key shipping lanes during the recent conflict in the region.

According to a report by South China Morning Post, governments led by Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Turkey are working on overland rail links, sea-land corridors and pipeline projects to reduce reliance on routes passing through the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea.

The shift follows attacks and blockades that affected maritime trade, prompting countries to look for more secure and diversified logistics networks. Analysts described the move as a “structural shift” away from dependence on vulnerable Gulf infrastructure,

the outlet reported.

Proposed routes include cargo movement from ports in the UAE and Oman outside the Persian Gulf, transported by rail through Saudi Arabia to Jordan, and then onward to the Mediterranean via Egypt’s Suez Canal or Syrian ports.

Some links are already operational. Sea-land corridors connecting UAE ports such as Fujairah and Khor Fakkan to Saudi ports, along with rail services to Jordan, were launched earlier this year.

Saudi Arabia has also introduced a cargo service from its Neom port linking the Suez Canal to Gulf countries and Iraq.

In parallel, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Turkey and Jordan have initiated plans to revive the historic Hejaz Railway connecting Jeddah to Istanbul via Amman and Damascus.

State-owned operators DP World and Abu Dhabi Ports have secured concessions to run ports in Jordan and Syria, adding to their existing presence in Saudi Arabia and Egypt.

At a recent GCC summit in Jeddah, leaders agreed to fast-track a regional railway network linking Saudi Arabia with the UAE, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait and Bahrain.

Separately, discussions are underway to build a multi-country network of oil and gas pipelines, along with electricity transmission lines and desalinated water systems.

Turkey is also pushing to restore and expand pipelines connecting Iraq to Mediterranean ports, including a proposed extension from Ceyhan to Basra.

Officials said these projects aim to create multiple trade and energy routes across the region to ensure continuity in case of future disruptions.