Oman Joins UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Egypt in Ramping Up Port Infrastructure and Cruise Tourism as the Strait of Hormuz Prepares for June 19 Reopening, Revitalizing Maritime Travel Routes

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Oman joins UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Egypt in ramping up port infrastructure and cruise tourism as the Strait of Hormuz prepares for June 19 reopening, creating fresh momentum for regional maritime travel routes. As governments invest in modern ports and upgraded passenger facilities, the reopening is expected to strengthen connectivity and support growing cruise demand across the Gulf and beyond. Moreover, enhanced maritime networks will improve travel experiences while encouraging international cruise operators to expand regional itineraries. At the same time, improved infrastructure and strategic planning are helping destinations attract more visitors and boost economic activity linked to tourism and shipping. Consequently, Oman joins UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Egypt in a coordinated effort that highlights the importance of the Strait of Hormuz and its June 19 reopening in revitalizing maritime travel routes and supporting long-term growth for the regional cruise tourism industry.

Strait of Hormuz Reopens: Global Logistics Shifts

A major structural shift in global maritime logistics was initiated on June 19, 2026, within the diplomatic environment of Geneva, Switzerland. An electronic memorandum of understanding was formally executed by the United States and Iran, signaling the conclusion of a highly disruptive 108-day geopolitical and military conflict. Prior to this diplomatic intervention, one of the most critical maritime chokepoints on earth had been effectively closed to international commerce. Under normal operating conditions preceding the outbreak of hostilities, approximately 20% of the daily petroleum and liquefied natural gas requirements of the global economy were routinely funneled through this vital waterway.

The electronic ratification of this historic document was directly executed by United States President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf. Through this high-level political authorization, a phased mechanism was formalized to systematically dismantle the United States naval blockade of Iranian commercial ports while simultaneously re-establishing unrestricted commercial maritime traffic across the region.

The operational and financial parameters established within the agreement were intentionally designed to offer immediate stabilization to highly stressed international supply chains, while concurrently imposing a sophisticated long-term regulatory architecture for commercial transit. According to the foundational terms of the memorandum, a toll-free operational regime was mandated for the Strait of Hormuz for an initial duration of 60 days. This transition window was strategically conceptualized to incentivize international shipping lines to immediately resume their standard routing practices through the waterway.

Upon the conclusion of this initial 60-day transitional window, a structural shift will be implemented whereby transit and service fees will be officially levied by Iranian authorities for vessels navigating the waterway under specific Iranian maritime arrangements. A highly pronounced reaction was immediately observed across international financial and commodity markets following the announcement of the agreement. Global crude oil benchmarks experienced a rapid deprecation of approximately $4 per barrel. Consequently, Brent crude futures were stabilized within a baseline range of $78 to $80 per barrel, while West Texas Intermediate futures were observed trading in the vicinity of $74 to $75 per barrel.

Despite the optimism generated by this diplomatic breakthrough, a highly cautious posture continues to be maintained by international maritime insurers and global security organizations regarding the precise timeline required for a comprehensive operational recovery. The severe operational degradation caused by the 108-day conflict is highlighted by historical transit data. Daily commercial vessel transits through the strait plummeted from a baseline pre-war average of 120 to 140 ships to an unprecedented low of a mere 12 to 25 vessels per day.

An extensive technical lag is expected before baseline cargo flows can be fully restored. Western maritime security agencies have formally estimated that a window of 40 to 50 days of concentrated mine-clearing operations will be required to establish verified safe navigation corridors. The deployment of sophisticated naval minesweepers alongside advanced autonomous underwater drones has been deemed absolutely essential to neutralize the latent security threats posed by naval mines deployed by Iranian forces during the blockade.

Public warnings have been issued by prominent industry figures, including Jakob Larsen, the Chief Safety and Security Officer of BIMCO, and Arsenio Dominguez, the head of the shipping agency of the United Nations. Both officials have independently cautioned that international commercial confidence will be restored only after these vital transit corridors are meticulously inspected and formally certified as mine-free zones. This technical and operational delay is explicitly reflected in contemporary maritime insurance underwriting practices. Hull war risk premiums, which had dramatically escalated to as high as 5% of total vessel hull value at the height of the naval blockade, are projected to experience a very gradual downward trajectory before eventually returning to their historical pre-war baseline of 0.25%.

Oman

In strict alignment with the country’s overarching Vision 2040 economic diversification mandates, a comprehensive port modernization and passenger infrastructure upgrade program is being executed by the Sultanate of Oman, under the direct stewardship of the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism. During the 2025 cruise season, the maritime boundaries of Oman were crossed by 137,330 cruise and yacht tourists, an operational baseline that is fully expected to be maintained and expanded during the ongoing 2025/2026 winter season.

To effectively govern this rapid operational expansion, the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism is currently engaged in a structured collaboration with a premier international consulting firm to finalize an exhaustive strategic study dedicated exclusively to the national cruise ship and yacht sectors. This specialized study provides a rigorous, data-driven assessment of the contemporary regulatory, operational, and competitive landscapes, thereby establishing a transparent implementation roadmap designed to upgrade physical port facilities, enhance inter-entity institutional cooperation, and maximize the domestic financial returns captured from international cruise calls.

The physical maritime layout of Oman is anchored by a highly sophisticated network of deep-water ports and logistics hubs, all operating under the centralized supervision of the Ministry of Transport, Communications, and Information Technology:

• Sultan Qaboos Port: Operating as the primary tourism and high-volume passenger gateway for the capital city of Muscat, this facility features 13 specialized operational platforms spanning a comprehensive 2,592 meters of continuous quayside, supported by a 13-meter entrance channel draft. In August 2025, the facility was internationally recognized as the ninth most beautiful cruise port on Earth by AllClear Travel Insurance, an accolade that has significantly bolstered state-led efforts to position Muscat as a dominant regional homeport. For the duration of the 2025/2026 itinerary season, the port is contractually scheduled to accommodate five distinct calls by the newly launched Saudi luxury liner, Aroya.
• Salalah Port: Positioned strategically outside the immediate geographic confines of the Strait of Hormuz on the Arabian Sea, Salalah functions as a massive global transshipment hub. The physical infrastructure of this port comprises 22 heavy-duty platforms, a massive 4,862-meter quayside, and a deep 18.5-meter operational draft. A major container terminal expansion project was recently completed at the site, which effectively augmented the port’s total cargo handling capacity to 6.5 million TEUs. Beyond its primary industrial and containerized cargo mandates, Salalah is actively homeporting the international cruise vessel Vasco da Gama to support high-volume passenger-exchange initiatives.
• Khasab Port: Located within the Musandam Governorate and directly overlooking the strategic waters of the Strait of Hormuz, Khasab features a specialized commercial wharf and advanced floating docks engineered with a 10.5-meter operational draft. Acting as the critical northern maritime gateway for the Sultanate, Khasab is projected to receive 45 international cruise calls during the 2025/2026 season, a total that includes 11 highly publicized visits by Aroya and five by Celestyal Discovery.
• Sohar, Duqm, and Al-Suwaiq Ports: Sohar Port, which features deep-water industrial berths designed with a 19-meter draft, successfully processed more than 31 million tons of imported cargo in 2022. Concurrently, Duqm Port recorded a remarkable 152% year-on-year surge in general, liquid, and bulk cargo throughput volumes in 2024, reflecting the rapid industrial acceleration of the Special Economic Zone at Duqm. To further expand national capacity, a formal concession agreement was signed by the Ministry with Asyad Ports Company to comprehensively upgrade, manage, and expand Al-Suwaiq Port to ensure its long-term capability to process much larger commercial vessels and high-density passenger traffic.

This massive physical expansion is being reinforced by a country-wide digital transformation initiative. By the conclusion of 2025, the internal audit metrics of the government’s Digital Transformation Program demonstrated an overall execution performance rating of 94%. This milestone was achieved through the successful digitization of 2,277 essential public services and the formal launch of the Thiqa mobile-based digital identity application. Furthermore, to ensure public safety matched this rapid commercial growth, a joint cooperation program was officially signed in 2026 by the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism and the Civil Defence and Ambulance Authority to establish advanced safety and risk management protocols tailored specifically to the country’s rapidly expanding adventure tourism sector.

Saudi Arabia

The maritime expansion of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is being funded directly via capital allocations from the Public Investment Fund and executed systematically by its dedicated corporate subsidiary, Cruise Saudi. This multi-billion-dollar initiative is positioned as a primary economic pillar of the Saudi Vision 2030 diversification strategy. A strict strategic target has been established by state planners to welcome more than 1.5 million international cruise visitors to the Kingdom on an annual basis by the year 2028.

This goal is being backed by capital deployment into state-of-the-art passenger terminals and advanced coastal infrastructure. Central to this cruise strategy was the commercial launch of Aroya Cruises, which is recognized as the first entirely Arab-owned cruise line in maritime history. Commercial voyages were initiated by the line in December 2024 utilizing its flagship vessel, Manara. This 335-meter floating luxury resort is configured with 1,678 passenger cabins and possesses a maximum certified passenger capacity of 3,362, operating highly regular, structured itineraries across both the Red Sea and the Arabian Gulf.

To provide adequate port capacity for this rapidly expanding fleet, several macro-scale infrastructure projects have been accelerated by the Saudi Ports Authority, globally recognized as Mawani:

• King Abdulaziz Port (Dammam): Functioning as the largest industrial and commercial port installation within the Persian Gulf, Dammam is currently undergoing a massive USD 1.8 billion infrastructure expansion program designed to elevate its total container throughput capacity to 7.5 million TEUs. Concurrently, a binding commercial agreement was signed by Mawani with Cruise Saudi and the Globe Group to construct a state-of-the-art passenger cruise terminal and engineer four highly specialized cruise berths, which will serve as the primary homeporting infrastructure for Aroya’s expanding Arabian Gulf voyages.
• Jeddah Islamic Port and Yanbu Commercial Port: Jeddah continues to operate as the primary western coastal gateway to the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah, featuring an expanded, highly modern passenger terminal engineered to seamlessly process 2,500 travelers simultaneously. Meanwhile, Yanbu Commercial Port has been developed to function as a relaxed, specialized gateway providing direct access to the pristine marine ecosystems of the Red Sea. The facility routinely hosts weekly transits by prominent international vessels such as the MSC Splendida. When combined, the port facilities of Yanbu and Jeddah are contractually scheduled to host more than 75 international cruise calls per operational season.

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Qatar

The maritime tourism master plan of the State of Qatar is structurally organized around the comprehensive urban and industrial redevelopment of Doha Port. The primary navigation channels and inner basins of the port have been extensively dredged to significantly deeper drafts, an engineering feat that enables the facility to safely accommodate the largest class of modern mega-cruise ships currently in global service. For the duration of the 2025/2026 winter itinerary window, a total of 72 international cruise calls are expected to be processed through a joint operational framework managed by Qatar Tourism and Mwani Qatar. This seasonal projection includes 40 complex partial turnarounds, 15 full turnaround operations, and long-term homeporting agreements executed with major global maritime conglomerates, including MSC Cruises.

Simultaneously, the historic Old Doha Port has been completely transitioned into a premier global superyacht hub and luxury maritime tourism enclave. The success of this redevelopment was highlighted by the registration of more than 7 million visitors to the site in 2025, alongside a remarkable 97% commercial occupancy rate across its facilities. The district features the highly stylized Mina District and served as the host venue for the highly successful Qatar Boat Show 2025. This international exhibition attracted 27,000 visitors and featured a display of 65 luxury superyachts possessing an aggregate market valuation of approximately 880 million QAR.

To eliminate logistical friction hindering cross-border regional movements, a comprehensive memorandum of understanding was officially signed in February 2026 between Mwani Qatar and the Saudi Ports Authority. This strategic bilateral agreement covers eight fundamental areas of maritime cooperation, most notably the cross-border exchange of institutional best practices in port management, the creation of direct land and maritime cargo connectivity channels, and deep digital integration achieved through the implementation of the Unified Maritime Single Window system.

Bahrain

The maritime strategy of the Kingdom of Bahrain remains centered on the operational optimization of the Khalifa Bin Salman Port, located within the industrial topography of the Hidd Area and managed under a long-term concession by APM Terminals Bahrain. Originally opened in April 2009 to replace the aging infrastructure of the historical Mina Salman Port, KBSP functions as a highly modern commercial cargo and passenger facility, defined by an 1,800-meter continuous quay wall and a deep 15-meter operational draft. The macro-level regulation and day-to-day operational supervision of the facility are handled directly by the Ports and Maritime Affairs division of the Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunications.

The strategic geographic positioning of KBSP within the Northern Arabian Gulf, paired with its direct overland connection to the 30-kilometer King Fahad Causeway, allows the facility to function as a vital regional distribution node and a high-speed passenger transit hub serving the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. The passenger terminal infrastructure at KBSP has been technically configured to process the largest classes of international cruise liners, offering arriving passengers streamlined customs clearance and high-speed public Wi-Fi networks. The systematic integration of KBSP’s passenger operations into the overarching Bahrain Tourism Strategy 2022–2026 has been explicitly engineered to stimulate domestic economic activity by positioning the island nation as an indispensable port of call within multi-destination Gulf cruise itineraries.

Kuwait

The primary contribution of the State of Kuwait to the evolving regional maritime architecture is represented by the ongoing development of the Mubarak Al-Kabeer Port project, located on the coast of Boubyan Island. This massive infrastructure initiative is being executed as a core component of China’s global Belt and Road Initiative, while concurrently aligning with the domestic goals of Kuwait Vision 2035. The project represents a total state capital commitment of approximately 1.3 billion Kuwaiti dinars, equivalent to roughly USD 4.1 billion. The critical Engineering, Procurement, and Construction contract for Phase 1 of the development is being led by the China Communications Construction Company, while comprehensive project management and construction supervision are being overseen by Egis, a global engineering consultancy firm.

The physical specifications engineered for the Mubarak Al-Kabeer Port are designed to establish a dominant new commercial trade gateway for the Upper Gulf region:

• Phase 1 Infrastructure: This initial phase features a 1,200-meter-long, high-efficiency container terminal engineered with an annual handling capacity of 2.7 million TEUs, which is strictly scheduled to achieve full operational readiness before the conclusion of 2026.
• Subsequent Expansion Phases: Long-term engineering blueprints call for the systematic construction of 14 additional deep-water container berths, a development that will elevate the port’s total structural throughput capacity to more than 8 million TEUs annually.
• Environmental and Sediment Mitigation: To preserve the fragile coastal ecosystems and mudflats surrounding Boubyan Island, a long-term scientific partnership has been maintained by the government of Kuwait with HR Wallingford since 2006. This specialized engineering collaboration utilizes highly advanced hydrodynamic and sediment transport software models to accurately assess wave-current interactions. These simulations are used to test an innovative sand barrier structural concept, which is projected to drastically lower long-term maintenance dredging expenditures while minimizing ecological disruption to the surrounding marine habitats.

Egypt

The Arab Republic of Egypt has successfully aligned the management of its strategic Red Sea port terminals with Gulf-led investment capital to establish a continuous, high-capacity maritime trade and tourism corridor connecting the Mediterranean Sea, the Suez Canal, and the Red Sea. In 2024, a landmark 15-year concession agreement was officially signed by the AD Ports Group with the Red Sea Ports Authority to comprehensively manage, develop, and operate three major cruise terminals situated in Sharm El Sheikh, Hurghada, and Safaga. This international public-private partnership achieved a major milestone in May 2026, when the Sharm El Sheikh Cruise Port welcomed the mega-cruise ship Aroya, marking the official commencement of regular scheduled calls designed to integrate Egyptian coastal resorts directly into GCC-focused tourism itineraries.

Furthermore, several major national port developments have been accelerated by Egyptian authorities:

• Safaga 2 Multipurpose Terminal: Developed in close structural partnership with AD Ports Group, this USD 200 million facility officially launched its commercial trial operations in June 2026 with the arrival of major international vehicle and container transport carriers. The physical footprint of the facility covers a massive 776,000 square meters, featuring an 1,100-meter quay wall with a deep 17-meter operational draft. The terminal is engineered with an initial annual handling capacity of 450,000 TEUs, which can be structurally expanded to 2 million TEUs.
• Mediterranean and Suez Canal Infrastructure: A 19.3% corporate stake in the Alexandria Container and Cargo Handling Company was initially acquired by AD Ports Group for USD 279 million in November 2025. This was followed by a formal move to acquire an absolute majority stake during the second quarter of 2026. ALCN currently operates highly strategic Mediterranean maritime terminals in Alexandria and El-Dekheila, both featuring direct integration into the national rail network. Concurrently, the Suez Canal Economic Zone successfully managed the arrival of the cruise ship AIDA Stella at Port Said, demonstrating its structural readiness to process high-volume passenger transits at the northern entrance of the Suez Canal.
• Suez Canal Global Tourism Summit: On May 7, 2026, the Suez Canal served as the official host venue for the prestigious WTTC Global Tourism Summit, which was conducted directly aboard the transiting luxury cruise liner Crystal Serenity. During the proceedings of the summit, the development of the Ismailia Yacht Marina was highlighted by Suez Canal Authority Admiral Osama Rabie. The facility is being promoted as Egypt’s first entirely sustainable model marina, engineered in strict accordance with the authority’s comprehensive green transformation strategy.

United Arab Emirates

The United Arab Emirates continues to maintain its dominant position in regional maritime logistics and port operational efficiency, driven by massive capital investments executed by AD Ports Group and DP World. In 2024, the emirate of Dubai recorded an unprecedented 150% surge in international yacht arrivals, successfully attracting 97 prominent international maritime operators to its luxury marinas.

To provide commercial support for this rapid expansion, landmark partnership agreements were executed in 2024 by Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism with leading global hospitality brands, including IHG Hotels & Resorts, Hilton, and Emaar Hospitality Group. These strategic agreements are designed to embed regional cruise experiences directly into global loyalty and reward channels, co-develop cultural heritage excursions, and establish specialized, high-tier customer service training curricula administered through the Dubai College of Tourism.

Concurrently, the international port portfolio of AD Ports Group has been expanded to encompass 36 ports and terminals globally. This international footprint includes Jordan’s Aqaba Multipurpose Port, which is managed under a joint venture agreement executed with the Aqaba Development Corporation. Under the terms of this 30-year concession, a 70% controlling ownership stake is held by AD Ports Group, accompanied by a contractual commitment to invest a total of AED 141 million into the facility, which currently handles approximately 80% of Jordan’s total national export volume.

To optimize its domestic logistics network, a memorandum of understanding was signed in May 2026 by AD Ports Group with CMA Terminals Khalifa Port and the CMA CGM Group. This logistics collaboration is designed to anchor substantial cargo flows across AD Ports Group’s rail-linked inland container depots and dry ports. This structural integration effectively extends the commercial reach of Khalifa Port directly to the borders of Oman and Saudi Arabia, creating highly resilient export corridors across the Arabian Peninsula.

Regional Integration Frameworks and Macroeconomic Dynamics

The stabilization of these critical regional maritime corridors has acted as a primary institutional catalyst for the accelerated expansion of the Cruise Arabia Alliance. This collaborative regional framework was originally established in March 2024 by the tourism authorities of Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, and Oman. A major milestone was recently achieved at the World Travel Market in London, where the formal integration of Cruise Saudi and Qatar Tourism into the alliance was finalized.

Through this institutional convergence, all six sovereign states comprising the Gulf Cooperation Council have been successfully unified under a singular, highly synchronized maritime tourism infrastructure. By systematically aligning international marketing initiatives, harmonizing complex port operations, and introducing standardized passenger entry and security protocols, a premier global winter cruise destination is being actively constructed. This unified framework has been intentionally designed to position the Arabian Gulf as a highly competitive alternative to established cruise markets in the Caribbean and the Mediterranean.

This deep institutional alignment is recognized as a vital evolutionary phase in the broader development of the regional Blue Economy. The scale of this maritime economic sector was detailed by the Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, who noted that the aggregate market valuation of the GCC Blue Economy surpassed USD 180 billion in 2025. Furthermore, this maritime economic output is statistically projected to scale to approximately USD 269 billion by the year 2032.

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This sustained growth is being propelled by several high-impact economic sub-sectors, most notably sustainable coastal tourism initiatives, marine-based renewable energy infrastructure, and highly advanced digital port logistics networks. To ensure the optimal execution of these diverse operations, a comprehensive and unified Gulf vision for the Blue Economy is currently being drafted by the GCC General Secretariat. This macro-level strategic blueprint is specifically focused on the structural harmonization of interstate maritime policies, the systematic deployment of Artificial Intelligence and Internet of Things technologies to achieve smart port management, and the aggressive streamlining of cross-border immigration procedures across all participating member states.

The profound macroeconomic impact of this newly unified regional tourism market is heavily underscored by highly favorable passenger demographic metrics and substantial domestic economic multipliers. Contemporary quantitative tourism data indicates that the average age of cruise passengers traveling within the GCC has systematically declined to 46 years. Furthermore, 36% of these international travelers are currently registered under the age of 40, representing an influential demographic shift toward younger, affluent individuals who consistently demand premium, digitally integrated, and highly curated leisure experiences.

The economic footprint generated by these specific travelers extends deep into the domestic economies of the host nations, far beyond the physical boundaries of the regional cruise terminals. Statistical tracking reveals that 60% of arriving cruise passengers routinely book accommodations for at least one night in the destination prior to their scheduled embarkation. Similarly, 54% of these travelers intentionally extend their regional stay by a minimum of one night post-cruise. Crucially, 67% of these transit visitors actively utilize local hotel infrastructure, thereby generating a highly powerful economic multiplier effect that directly stimulates the regional hospitality, commercial aviation, and retail sectors.

Socioeconomic Vulnerabilities and Environmental Management

The long-term development of the Middle Eastern Blue Economy requires a delicate balance between aggressive physical expansion and rigorous risk management across multiple operational sectors. As maritime cruise volumes experience an unprecedented acceleration, local regulatory authorities are being forced to confront unique socioeconomic disruptions. Among the most pressing concerns highlighted by regional tourism experts is the potential manifestation of the tourist bubble effect.

This phenomenon risks causing severe structural distortion within traditional domestic market spaces. For instance, centuries-old commercial enclaves, such as the historical Muttrah Souq in Muscat, face the immediate hazard of being marginalized by commercial vendors who alter their product inventories to cater exclusively to high-volume, short-term international cruise visitors. To mitigate these socio-cultural shifts and protect localized heritage, a strategic defensive agreement was executed by Cruise Saudi alongside the Heritage Commission of Saudi Arabia. This collaborative program ensures that authentic Saudi cultural elements, traditional artisan crafts, and regional culinary assets are directly embedded into international cruise itineraries and onboard passenger dining options.

Concurrently, the rapid scaling of high-density maritime traffic introduces severe environmental vulnerabilities that threaten the delicate marine ecosystems of both the Red Sea and the Arabian Gulf. Rigorous warnings have been issued by international marine biologists and environmental advocacy groups regarding the cumulative damage inflicted by vessel-generated carbon emissions, untreated greywater waste discharges, and acute physical disturbance to shallow, slow-growing coral reef systems.

To address these ecological concerns, the transition toward highly sustainable tourism growth models has been formally prioritized by the executive leadership of the Cruise Arabia Alliance. A major operational emphasis is being placed on the mandated adoption of alternative low-emission marine fuels, the rapid engineering of shoreside power connection infrastructure—commonly referred to as cold ironing—to eliminate active port-side vessel emissions, and the deployment of advanced smart-port digital monitoring systems designed to track localized water quality metrics in real time. The practical application of this ecological strategy was demonstrated during the 2026 homeporting of the Celestyal Discovery in Abu Dhabi, an operational milestone marked by a large-scale, collaborative mangrove planting initiative executed at the Jubail Mangrove Park to support active coastal ecosystem rehabilitation.

Finally, managing the operational realities of massive dual-use maritime facilities introduces significant logistical difficulties. In major regional cargo centers like Salalah and Dammam, port administrators must handle complex vessel rotations, optimize dynamic berth allocations, and enforce strict international maritime security standards without compromising commercial cargo throughput speeds. This operational balance is being maintained through the deployment of advanced artificial intelligence-driven terminal operating systems alongside real-time, high-fidelity marine navigation simulators. These virtual modeling suites allow port pilots to test complex vessel maneuvers and handle berth congestion effectively before ships enter physical harbors, ensuring the long-term safety and resilience of the regional trade architecture.