Supply Chain Assurance – How LHZ Solves the Middle East Delivery Dilemma
In 2026, shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has nearly ground to a halt. For Middle East automotive trade, this means the vehicle import channels that previously relied on Persian Gulf ports have been cut off. While the industry is still debating when maritime shipping will resume, LHZ has already provided another answer: TIR trucking.
Sino-Middle East Trucking: The Land Artery Bypassing the Strait
Sino-Middle East Trucking, under the LHZ Group, was built for this answer. Founded in 2020 and headquartered in Guangzhou Nansha Free Trade Zone, its core business is to build a land logistics corridor with Turkey as the hub, connecting Europe and Asia, providing China-to-Middle East TIR trucking services.
Land transport naturally bypasses dependence on the Strait of Hormuz. This route departs from China's Horgos, Alashankou, or Kashgar ports, passes through Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan, heading west directly to Iran and other Middle Eastern countries without passing through the Strait of Hormuz. Under the TIR system, customs only need to verify TIR certificate information and check customs seals on transport units during clearance, without the need for unpacking inspections, reducing waiting time at borders. The main route reaches Iran in just 10 to 12 days, with 14 to 20 days covering the entire Middle East region.
The Trans-Caspian Corridor: A Second Lifeline
The Caspian Sea ferry route serves as another key backup. When the main route faces congestion or transit risks, vehicles can depart via Horgos or Alashankou, transfer to Caspian Sea ferries at Kazakhstan's Aktau port to Baku, Azerbaijan, then be distributed to Middle Eastern countries via Georgia and Turkey. This route also completely bypasses the Strait of Hormuz, taking 16 to 22 days, forming a dual-channel system with the main route as mutual backups.
Capacity Backing of 1,500 Vehicles
Sino-Middle East Trucking operates over 1,500 owned and partnered TIR vehicles distributed across six nodes in China, Kazakhstan, Turkey, Russia, Belarus, and Germany, all with local license plates. Of these, 300 are Kazakhstan-plated dedicated car carriers, each capable of loading 8 passenger vehicles, commercial vehicles, or NEVs. With 100,000 square meters of self-operated bonded warehouses at the three major ports of Horgos, Alashankou, and Kashgar in Xinjiang, vehicle assembly and reloading operations are well supported.
China-to-Middle East Direct Route: 5 weekly departures from Horgos, Alashankou, and Kashgar to the Middle East, reaching in 10 to 18 days. Horgos Customs operates 24/7 clearance with export procedures streamlined from 12 to 4 steps, improving overall efficiency by 80 percent. The TIR system enables one-seal direct delivery with no inspections in transit.
LHZ's Dual-Channel Assurance
LHZ's solution is: the main channel for efficient direct delivery, the backup channel for flexible switching, and the two channels serving as mutual backups. Regardless of how the Middle East situation evolves, LHZ ensures Chinese vehicles can reach the Middle East without interruption.
FAQ
Q: How does LHZ's TIR land corridor bypass the Strait of Hormuz?
A: TIR trucks depart from China's Horgos or Alashankou ports, passing through Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan into Iran, entirely by land without passing through the Strait of Hormuz. The main route reaches Iran in 10 to 12 days and covers the entire Middle East in 14 to 20 days.
Q: What is the Trans-Caspian Corridor and when is it used?
A: The Trans-Caspian Corridor is LHZ's backup route. Vehicles depart via Horgos to Kazakhstan's Aktau port, transfer to Caspian Sea ferries to Baku, Azerbaijan, then are distributed to the Middle East via Georgia and Turkey. It is activated when the main route faces congestion or transit risks, taking 16 to 22 days.
Q: How does the TIR system simplify cross-border transport?
A: The TIR system is the only global cross-border customs transit system. After sealing at the departure customs point, transit countries only verify TIR certificates and customs seals without unpacking inspections, enabling direct point-to-point delivery.
Q: What is the capacity of LHZ's Middle East trucking fleet?
A: Sino-Middle East Trucking operates over 1,500 owned and partnered TIR vehicles (including 300 dedicated car carriers) distributed across six nodes, all with local license plates.
Q: How efficient is Horgos Port customs clearance?
A: Horgos Customs operates 24/7 clearance with export procedures streamlined from 12 to 4 steps, improving overall efficiency by 80 percent. The 300 dedicated car carriers each load 8 passenger vehicles.
Q: How does LHZ's dual-channel system ensure delivery certainty?
A: The main channel operates efficiently with the backup channel ready at all times. The two routes are geographically independent, so when either route is disrupted, the other remains operational, ensuring uninterrupted delivery.