This Tuesday, April 28, the UN Economic Commission for Europe announced the implementation of an "online observatory" to provide data on available border crossings and customs conditions for the transport of goods by land in the Middle East. With maritime transit through the Strait of Hormuz blocked, internal routes have been overwhelmed and countries such as Thailand, Syria or Iraq are postulating new options.

First modification: 04/28/2026 - 23:51 Last modification: 04/29/2026 - 00:12

The greatest economic impact of the war launched by the United States and Israel against Iran has been the two-month blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, the sea route through which around a fifth of the world's oil transited before the start of the conflict.

This has led the Gulf countries to activate alternative land transport routes, giving greater use to the United Nations TIR Convention, a global customs transit system to which 78 countries adhere and that allows the transport of vehicles or sealed containers between those who carry the physical or digital card, which works as a guarantee for customs purposes.

According to the International Road Transport Organization (IRU) – which manages the TIR –, with the reduction of more than 90% in the number of ships passing through Hormuz, the transport of cargo containers by truck has increased sharply from Qatar, the United Arab Emirates or Kuwait to Saudi ports on the Red Sea, especially Jeddah, where the flow of goods has grown by 140% since February (going from 50,000 to 120,000 containers per week).

Globally, the IRU warns, demand through alternative land routes is five times greater than their capacity, which translates into rising prices.

Against this backdrop, this Tuesday, April 28, the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) announced the creation of the 'Border Crossing Points Observatory of the Gulf Countries', a digital platform that will provide data on border crossings and TIR processing points.

According to ECE, this initiative, presented after a meeting in Geneva with transport and customs officials and experts from 12 Gulf countries, seeks to "provide transparency on the available routes and allow for more efficient planning of cargo transportation along the region's land routes."

This tool, similar to the one launched during the Covid-19 pandemic, brings together information provided by the Gulf countries on customs procedures, as well as other nations in the region that adhere to the TIR Convention, including Syria, Jordan, Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Pakistan and Turkmenistan.

Read alsoUN chief urges Iran to open Strait of Hormuz without tolls

They warn of bottlenecks in land transportation

In its press release, the UNECE has highlighted the proliferation of alternative land transport routes, including two between Turkey and the Gulf, whose journey takes around four days, much less than by sea.

On these routes, maintains the UN European economic body, authorities of the countries involved have announced the implementation of 24-hour operations and the expansion of the type of merchandise allowed beyond food and consumer goods, mainly including construction materials.

Likewise, Pakistan has recently announced the opening of six new transit corridors for the import and export of goods to Iran, while a "green corridor" was temporarily established in early April to allow international maritime cargo arriving at ports or free zones in Dubai to be transported by land to Oman, before being shipped from Omani ports.

Beyond these measures, UNECE has warned about bottlenecks that occur in the face of various obstacles, the main ones being the availability of fleets and drivers, and the issuance of visas for truck drivers.

Also, that UN entity considered "even more urgent" in the current situation to strengthen the railway infrastructure and make progress in aspects such as the reconstruction of tracks in Syria, which would provide "significant additional capacity along the Turkey-Syria-Jordan-Saudi Arabia-Persian Gulf corridor."

Finally, UNECE indicated that, at the discretion of the capacity of local operators, existing routes could be opened to the transport of industrial products or urea, one of the main fertilizers produced in the Gulf.

The price of this good has increased by 20% and has caused a knock-on effect in other markets, such as the United States and Brazil, which, according to the United Nations, puts global agricultural productivity at risk.

Read also "No wonder Germany is doing so badly": Trump attacks Merz for not supporting him in the war with Iran

Thailand seeks a "land bridge", Iraq and Syria open a crossing after more than a decade

For some countries, the crisis due to the closure of Hormuz has become an opportunity. This is the case of Thailand, which wants to take advantage of the momentum to advance a long-standing plan and create a logistical link between the Indian and Pacific oceans.

On Monday, the Thai government announced the revival of the "land bridge" project across the south of its territory, a proposal drafted under the previous administration but put on hold due to political instability and some resistance from residents.

The plan – estimated at almost $31 billion – would be presented to the cabinet in June or July and the Government aims to find investors to start the route in the third quarter, according to Transport Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn. One of the possibilities that Bangkok is considering is to attract Singapore, an important regional investor.

The so-called 'Land Bridge', an idea dating back decades, envisages two deep-water ports in the Gulf of Thailand, connected by 90 kilometers of roads and railways, as well as the development of energy infrastructure, including oil pipelines.

It is intended to be an alternative to the Strait of Malacca, the 900 kilometer canal that delimits Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore and which constitutes the shortest maritime route from East Asia to the Middle East and Europe.

On the other hand, Iraq and Syria reopened on Monday an important border crossing, which remained closed for more than a decade and is highlighted by the authorities of both countries for its potential for trade and oil exports.

In 2011, with the start of the Syrian civil war, the pass – known as Rabia in Iraq and Yarubiyah in Syria – was closed. In 2014 it was taken by militants of the Islamic State group and later recovered by Iraqi Kurdish forces.

According to the Syrian state news agency SANA, officials from both countries participated in the reopening and discussed how to improve coordination and facilitate transit and trade.

Read alsoAttacks and seizures: Hormuz consolidates itself as the new battlefield after extension of the truce

With EFE, Reuters and AP

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