Yabba Dabba Doo! Ships Scaredy-Cats of Strait of Hormuz!

Great Gazoo! Trouble in the Waterway!

Yabba Dabba Doo! Fred Flinstone here reporting live from Bedrock (well kinda). Seems like there's some ruckus brewing over in that Strait of Hormuz place. Apparently this Israel and Iran are having a bit of a tiff and it's got ship captains all in a tizzy. They're so scared some are even avoiding the area! Can you believe it? It's like avoiding the Water Buffalo Lodge on poker night because Barney's got a lucky streak!

Holy Bronto Burgers! What's the Big Deal?

Now this Strait of Hormuz see it's like the main road for all the world's oil. I'm talking 20.9 million barrels a day! That's like enough Dino oil to power my foot powered car for a gazillion years! So if ships can't get through prices go up! And you know what that means? Less money for bronto burgers! And nobody messes with Fred Flinstone's bronto burger money! Yabba Dabba Doo!

Eep Opp Ork Ah Ah! Freight Rates are Going Up!

And get this the freight rates are jumping higher than Dino when he sees a mailman! Some fancy number crunchers at a place called 'Kpler' say the rates to China went up 24%! That's like Wilma charging me double for a slab of ribs! Highway robbery I tell ya! They are saying that the cost of war is impacting the rates of cargo

Hot Rocks! Insurance is Stable? For Now...

Even the insurance folks are getting in on this. This guy David Smith from McGill and Partners (sounds like a couple of Bedrock lawyers) says the shipping insurance rates are stable for now. But he also says that they can skyrocket real fast if things get worse. It's like betting on Dino in a race – sometimes he wins sometimes he trips over his own feet!

Yabba Dabba Don't! Hapag Lloyd Plays it Cool (Sort Of)

This German company called Hapag Lloyd (sounds like something Wilma would order from a fancy store) says they think there is no immediate risk for ships crossing Strait of Hormuz but that the state of things is volatile. And they said they're still staying away from the Red Sea just like I stay away from Wilma when I break her favorite vase. Smart move!

So What Does This All Mean Fred?

Well folks it means we might be paying more for everything soon! Higher gas prices pricier bronto burgers... It's enough to make a caveman cry! But don't you worry Fred Flinstone will find a way. Maybe I'll invent a new kind of rock that makes oil! Or maybe I'll just borrow some from Mr. Slate... What could go wrong? Yabba Dabba Doo!