Imports to Bermuda may be delayed as ships that usually move civilian goods are being used to move military supplies to the Middle East.

The result is that fewer vessels are available to carry civilian goods from one port to another, and many goods are now not being exported on time, particularly from ports in Europe to the US.

The massive ocean carriers can carry up to 8,000 containers at a time, in comparison to local ships which carry up to 300.

Bermuda Forwarders vice president of international services Willie Forbes said the changing role of the ocean liners meant that in many cases the needs and requirements of the smaller cargo vessels, such as those that come to Bermuda, were not being fully met.

Instead, many containers were sitting on docks in Rotterdam, Holland, and Liverpool, England, waiting to be loaded.

Bermuda only has a few containers coming out of Europe and the Far East every week, so it would not warrant a large ocean liner coming to the Island, he said.

In addition, the new US Department of Homeland Security has increased security measures to such a degree that anything heading for Bermuda, or anywhere else, has the chance of being delayed, too.

"Items in foreign ports must now pre-clear US Customs before they are placed on the ship," said Mr. Forbes.

"We are very cautious as to what is in containers, as if there is something which is not allowed or contraband, the entire contents of the container will be impounded."

Mr. Forbes said this cargo problem would affect anyone who was shipping goods to and from the Island, which had to travel further than the US.

But Geoffrey Frith, president of Container Ship Management which handles the Oleander, said he had not noticed a difference.

"The war has had no impact on our service from the US or our pre-carriers to the US," said Mr. Frith. "And we are not expecting any problems."