Trade Disruptions Tie Up Cash and Test CFO Playbooks

The war in Iran is increasingly giving the freight sector a fright.

As of Monday (March 16), the geopolitical risks of the Middle East engagement have already reshaped global trade patterns around air freight and shipping, directly impacting energy supply chains as well as other critical high-value goods like electronics and pharmaceuticals.

The trade flow shifts resemble earlier shocks, such as Russia-Ukraine and the Red Sea attacks, but are concentrated around a much more central trade chokepoint: the Strait of Hormuz, where ship attacks and security risks have reduced non-Iranian sea traffic to near standstill.

The conflict is also disrupting aviation corridors over the Middle East, with logistics hubs like Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha facing route closures. Air freight rates have risen over 70% in some of the impacted trade corridors.

In this environment of rapid change, traditional paper-based trade processes are showing their limits. Despite years of discussion about digitization, much of global trade still depends on physical documentation. Bills of lading, inspection certificates and letters of credit often move through courier networks rather than digital platforms.

That reliance on paper can become particularly problematic when shipments change course. Meanwhile, companies that have invested in digital trade infrastructure are positioned better for navigating this turbulence more effectively. The cumulative impact is one of organizational agility. Digitized companies can respond to disruptions within hours, while organizations reliant on manual processes may require days.

See also: CFOs Turn Trade Finance Into a Balance-Sheet Advantage

Speed and Resilience as Competitive Advantages

Consider two exporters shipping goods through a disrupted corridor. The first relies on traditional paperwork and manual coordination among banks, insurers and logistics providers. The second operates through a digital trade platform where documentation, compliance checks and financing are integrated.

When a shipment must be rerouted, the digital operator can amend documentation electronically, update insurers and adjust financing terms in near real time. The manual operator may spend days coordinating changes across multiple institutions.

In a volatile environment, those delays matter. They determine whether goods arrive on schedule, whether customers receive shipments on time and whether capital remains tied up in transit.

And the logistical uncertainty triggered by geopolitical disruptions is also reshaping corporate balance sheets. When shipments take longer to arrive, inventory remains tied up in transit. Goods that once moved from factory to customer within a predictable timeframe now spend additional weeks in containers, aircraft holds or temporary storage facilities.

That delay increases the working capital required to sustain operations. Companies must finance inventory for longer periods while still paying suppliers on time. For large multinationals, the effect may be manageable. But for smaller exporters and suppliers operating with thin margins, the strain can be significant.

The “2025-2026 Growth Corporates Working Capital Index: Research Report Data Book,” a PYMNTS Intelligence report commissioned by Visa, revealed how, when implemented effectively, working capital innovations like virtual cards, dynamic discounting platforms, supply chain finance programs and embedded payment networks all enable companies to extend payment cycles while ensuring suppliers still receive early access to cash through financing mechanisms.

Read also: How CFOs Can Manage for Today’s Supply Chain Choke Points

Paper-Based Trade Finance Is Struggling to Keep Up

Shipping companies are responding to the war in the most predictable way: by avoiding risk. For vessels that would normally call at Gulf ports or transit nearby waters, the calculus now includes the possibility of missile strikes, drone attacks or naval confrontation.

For global container logistics, the shift has a cascading effect. When ships alter routes or cancel port calls, the delicate choreography of container repositioning breaks down. Ports that rely on steady schedules suddenly experience bottlenecks, while others face shortages of equipment.

War risk insurance, a specialized form of coverage required for vessels entering conflict zones, has surged in cost as geopolitical tensions rise. And as the realities of global trade and geopolitical risk start to show up across the financial ecosystem supporting it, banks and insurers are also integrating digital tools into their operations. Automated compliance checks, digital identity verification and electronic documentation reduce the time required to approve transactions.

After all, freight visibility and real-time logistics data are helping to transform the trade finance landscape. Companies that recognize this shift are redesigning trade operations around digital platforms capable of adapting quickly to disruption. In an age where a conflict thousands of miles away can reshape shipping routes overnight, the ability to move information as quickly as goods may prove to be the most valuable capability of all.