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The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has reported that the ongoing war in the Middle East has caused significant disruptions to maritime and air traffic, damaging critical infrastructure and interrupting key transport corridors essential for global energy and goods. According to the IMF, even in the best-case scenario, there will be no quick or seamless return to normalcy.
The IMF highlighted a concerning trend in the Red Sea, where attacks on shipping that began in 2023 forced many vessels to reroute around Africa instead of using the Suez Canal. Over two years later, transit levels through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, located between Yemen and Djibouti, remain stuck at about half of pre-attack volumes.
“The future of Strait of Hormuz transits and regional air traffic remains uncertain. However, it’s already clear that growth will be slower, even if an enduring peace is achieved,” the IMF noted. As detailed in its April 2026 World Economic Outlook, disruptions in shipping and air traffic are slowing trade, raising costs along supply chains, and hitting tourism-dependent and import-reliant economies the hardest. Consumers are feeling the impact through higher prices on essentials, with lower-income households bearing the greatest burden.
The IMF cautioned that if transits through the Strait of Hormuz and regional flights recover slowly, similar to the Bab el-Mandeb route, the drag on global economic growth will continue long after the conflict ends. The Fund stressed that strengthening the resilience of transport networks is now crucial to sustaining growth and protecting livelihoods worldwide.
Story by Efua Nessa
Source: Loco tv