The conflict surrounding the Strait of Hormuz is no longer just about oil prices. The crisis is now spilling into the global metals market, with new figures emerging from the Gulf that are beginning to worry international supply chains.
In Bahrain, aluminum giant ALBA reports that 19% of its production capacity has been shut down. In Qatar, the Qatalum facility has dropped to roughly 60% operational output.
Because the Middle East supplies about 9% of the world’s aluminum, this is no longer just a logistical disruption — it represents a real hit to global supply.
Aluminum is one of the essential raw materials of the modern industrial economy. It is used everywhere: in car frames, aircraft parts, construction infrastructure, electronics, and even everyday food packaging. Disruptions in Gulf production therefore ripple quickly through manufacturing systems worldwide.