Nairobi, March 2 -- Freight costs through the Mombasa port are poised to rise due to the effects of the Israel-Iran conflict, as shipping lines are forced to divert their vessels through a longer Cape of Good Hope route.

Top shipping lines are avoiding the Suez Canal and Strait of Hormuz until further notice to avoid attacks by the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen.

Kenya's key export products, including tea and coffee, will also have to wait longer at the port before they are picked as vessels reschedule their traffic, with the cost of petroleum products expected to increase significantly due to the cut of the supply chain.

Major shipping lines have issued advisories to their customers on the change of trade routes, which will lead to an i...