The US-Israeli military operation against Iran and Tehran’s retaliation are disrupting global maritime traffic, including oil tanker transports, due to the paralysis of the Strait of Hormuz, AFP reports.

Here is how shipping could be impacted:

Fertilisers at risk: About 33 per cent of the world’s fertilisers, including sulfur and ammonia, transit through the Strait of Hormuz, according to the trade analysis firm Kpler.

Loaded onto cargo ships in Qatar, Saudi Arabia or the UAE, these fertilisers have diverse destinations ranging from India and China to Brazil and African countries.

Plastic production: The conflict in the Middle East also threatens a major polymer export hub in the UAE, according to an analysis published today by Argus Media.

The firm said the region produces up to 23 million tons of polyethylene — one of the most widely used plastics in the world — annually, representing 15pc of global production.

Yesterday, the Emirati port of Jebel Ali, central to the export of petroleum derivatives, caught fire, according to local authorities. Another port facility in Kuwait had to temporarily suspend operations after debris fell nearby, according to local media.

Extended shipping routes: Several of the world’s major shipping companies have announced they are avoiding the Strait of Hormuz due to the risk posed by the military conflict.

Insurers have significantly increased their rates for ships transiting the Middle East.