Japan, South Korea Scramble for Naphtha Before June as Hormuz Blockade Chokes Key Supplies
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · May 24
Japan, South Korea Scramble for Naphtha Before June as Hormuz Blockade Chokes Key Supplies
4 articles · Updated · The New York Times · May 24
Japan and South Korea are racing to secure alternative naphtha supplies before June, when industry experts warn shortages could start disrupting manufacturing more broadly.
More than two months of blockade in the Strait of Hormuz have cut off exports from key suppliers Qatar and Kuwait, while even naphtha made in Asia often depends on crude shipped through the strait.
Japan is already showing strain: some consumer-goods companies are removing colors from food packaging to conserve ink made with naphtha-derived inputs.
In East Asia, naphtha has become the first major industrial channel through which the Middle East war is hitting economies, extending the shock beyond crude and gasoline into plastics, inks and medical-device supply chains.
As Asia pivots to US ethane, could this crisis permanently break the Middle East's hold on global petrochemicals?
From colorless packaging to vital medical supplies, how will the Hormuz crisis reshape the everyday products we depend on?
2026 Strait of Hormuz Crisis: The Largest Oil Supply Disruption in History and Its Impact on East Asia
Overview
On February 28, 2026, a military conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran triggered escalating tensions and military strikes, leading to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz on March 4. This vital chokepoint’s blockade disrupted critical Middle Eastern energy supplies, with vessel tracking showing ships stalled or diverted and warnings of increased risks near military units. The immediate result was a global shock to energy markets: about 20% of world oil supplies were halted, crude prices soared, and gasoline costs spiked. The International Energy Agency called it the most significant oil market disruption in history.