The UAE’s Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, Suhail Mohamed Al Mazrouei, has warned that escalating geopolitical tensions in key maritime corridors are reshaping global trade, urging coordinated international action to safeguard shipping routes and reinforce supply chain resilience.
Speaking at the Transport and Logistics Forum in St. Petersburg, Al Mazrouei highlighted the growing risks facing critical waterways, stressing that their security is essential to maintaining stable global markets. The forum was inaugurated by Vladimir Putin, who underscored the need for digital transformation and technological advancement in transport and logistics systems.
Al Mazrouei pointed to recent disruptions, including Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz and attacks on commercial vessels, describing them as unprecedented threats with direct consequences for global supply chains and commodity prices. He warned that inaction could place the global economy at sustained risk.
He emphasised that protecting freedom of navigation is a shared international responsibility, calling for unified efforts to secure trade routes and prevent disruptions that could impact energy and food security worldwide.
Outlining the UAE’s response, Al Mazrouei said the country is investing heavily in resilient, multimodal infrastructure, including a national railway network exceeding 900 kilometres and regional projects such as the Hafeet Rail link with Oman. He noted that the UAE’s ports continue to serve as key global re export hubs, strengthening connectivity across markets.
On the sidelines of the forum, Al Mazrouei held bilateral talks with transport ministers from Russia and Uzbekistan to deepen cooperation and expand strategic partnerships in logistics and infrastructure development.
He concluded that stronger global coordination and continued investment in alternative trade corridors will be essential to sustaining supply chains amid evolving geopolitical challenges.
News Source: Emirates News Agency
