JEDDAH: Danish shipping giant Maersk has suspended cargo bookings to and from several Gulf markets in light of the war in Iran, becoming the latest logistics company to reassess its operations in the region.
The firm has halted new business related to the UAE, Kuwait, and Qatar, as well as Iraq, Bahrain, parts of Saudi Arabia and most ports in Oman “until further notice” after a fresh risk assessment.
In a statement, Maersk added that “exceptions will be made for critical foodstuff, medicine and other essential goods,” and the measure does not apply to Jordan and Lebanon. Two of its vessels are currently in the Gulf.
This comes as Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said on March 5 that passage through the critical transit passage of the Strait of Hormuz would remain under Iranian control during wartime and claimed a US tanker had been hit in the northern Gulf, though there was no immediate independent confirmation of the incident.
The strait is a critical transit route for roughly 20 percent of global crude oil shipments and significant volumes of liquefied natural gas.
