The debate about the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz

The debate about the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz usually focuses on oil and gas. Understandably so — the impact there is felt most immediately.

Yet the chokepoint affects far more than energy: it is also a key hub for fertilizer and chemical supply chains.

Alongside oil and LNG, large shares of global trade in the following also pass through the strait: Sulphur (essential for sulphuric acid and fertilizers); Ammonia and urea; Petrochemical feedstocks such as methanol and naphtha; Polymers for plastics and textiles as well as Aluminium. 

Cheap gas and a highly developed petrochemical industry have made Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE, Oman, and Bahrain major production hubs for many of these products — which are then transported through the Strait of Hormuz.

The blockade is therefore likely to trigger not only energy shocks, but also disruptions across agriculture and industry — from fertilizer prices to plastics production and metal processing.

The current situation highlights how important it is, alongside diversifying global supply chains, to ensure resilient production of key goods in Europe — a central issue in the ongoing debate about Europe’s future industrial structure.

Interesting article to read: https://www.euronews.com/business/2026/03/09/why-blocking-hormuz-could-threaten-the-worlds-food-supply