Iran War Disruptions Threaten Germany’s Chemical, Raw Materials Supply Chain

German chemical firms warn war-driven shipping collapse could disrupt ammonia, sulfur, and helium supplies critical to fertilizers, semiconductors, and chemical production.

March 13, 2026

2 min read

Industrial plants stand on the factory premises of a chemical company.

Frankfurt — The war in Iran could cause significant disruptions to the global supply chains of chemical firms due to the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a leading German industry group warned on Friday.

Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a roughly 55-kilometre-wide waterway between Iran and Oman and a crucial chokepoint for the world's oil supplies, has virtually collapsed due to Iranian attacks on commercial vessels, with multiple ships being hit in recent days.

The inability to move oil through the strait is causing severe volatility on the global energy market and raising prices of oil and petrol.

But the German Chemical Industry (VCI) association stressed that other raw materials have also been affected.

"There are growing concerns about serious and increasing shortages of raw materials – for example ammonia and phosphate, helium and sulphur," it said in a statement.

"There are also initial indications of disruptions in international supply chains."

The longer the war launched by Israel and the United States on February 28 continues, the more severe its consequences will be, the VCI said.

Soaring prices and ongoing uncertainty are pushing many businesses to their limits, said managing director Wolfgang Grosse Entrup.

"Strategic planning is becoming increasingly difficult. Instead, companies are playing it by ear," he said.

One product group affected by the disruptions is fertilizers, as 20% of global ammonia trade and 50% of sulphur supplies are normally shipped through the Strait of Hormuz, said Grosse Entrup.

"The chip industry is already very concerned about helium, because 40% of the world's helium comes from Qatar," he added. "This affects the electronics industry, semiconductor manufacturing and aerospace technology."