U.S.-Israel attacks on Iran have done more than just ignite military hotspots across the Middle East; they are now casting a long shadow over critical maritime arteries, specifically the Strait of Hormuz and the Suez Canal-Red Sea corridor. For a highly open economy like Vietnam, any resulting shock would likely manifest not as a direct impact, but as a secondary surge in operational costs—namely oil prices, war risk insurance, and logistics, the very lifeblood of exports. While large-scale trade disruptions have yet to materialize, a “risk premium” is already being factored into individual commercial contracts. Logistics: The most sensitive chokepoint Pham Quang Anh, CEO of Dony Garment Company, stated that the firm is closely monitoring shipments to Jordan—a market that has remained stable since 2017 and accounts for nearly 20% of their total export revenue. Vietnamese garments bound for Jordan typically transit through the Red Sea, a route directly exposed to any escalation in regional tensions. During previous periods of instability, transit times surged from one month to upwards of four months—a fourfold increase. Furthermore, freight rates for 40-foot containers spiked from approximately US$1,500 to US$5,000. These soaring costs, coupled with war risk surcharges and limited vessel availability, have made […]
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