Fujairah had the largest number of waiting dry bulk ships among 29 selected ports in the Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman on 28 October, with 74 vessels accounting for 28% of the total. Hellenic Shipping News, carrying analysis from The Signal Group, reported 265 ships waiting across the sample more than six months into the Middle East shipping crisis. Sohar had 50 vessels, bringing the two ports’ combined share to 47%.
The regional daily average reached 268 vessels during 1–27 October 2026, compared with 154 in the corresponding period of 2025 and 139 in 2024. The report put the year-on-year increase at 75%. Waiting numbers had fallen to 170 in mid-July before rising through August and reaching 291 on 15 September. The count was 254 on 27 October.
Supramaxes accounted for 107 waiting vessels across the region, or 40% of the total, ahead of 56 Panamaxes and 53 Handysizes. Their concentration was greater at Fujairah, where 37 Supramaxes made up half of the waiting fleet. The port held nearly 35% of all waiting Supramaxes in the sample, alongside 12 Panamaxes and 12 Handysizes.
Most of Fujairah’s waiting vessels were not classified as loading or discharge calls. Stop calls accounted for 48 ships, or 65%, while 22 were awaiting discharge and four loading. Across the wider sample, discharge calls numbered 109 and stop calls 102. Fujairah therefore represented almost half of regional waiting stop calls, indicating that its accumulation of vessels was not confined to conventional cargo operations.
Fujairah’s daily count had generally stayed below 40 during the first half of 2026, then increased through July and August to roughly 80–95 during September and October. Although the total subsequently eased, the report warned that prolonged waiting could restrict promptly available tonnage, particularly Supramaxes. Any freight effect would depend on how long vessels remained idle and their next employment. Meanwhile, Asian Supramax markets strengthened amid limited tonnage, whereas the US Gulf remained oversupplied.