Vincent Clerc, CEO of Maersk, in Paris, December 17, 2024. BENJAMIN GIRETTE/BLOOMBERG VIA GETTY IMAGES
Vincent Clerc is chief executive officer of the Danish shipping company Maersk, the world's second-largest maritime transporter after the Italian-Swiss company MSC. Maersk, which operates 700 vessels, has established new maritime routes to circumvent the Strait of Hormuz, blocked due to the war in the Middle East, and Bab al-Mandab at the entrance to the Red Sea, where Houthi rebels are based. After moving its crews and ships to safety in the Gulf region, the company now faces the challenge of securing its fuel supplies, as stocks decline in Asia. Such a logistics operation entails high additional costs.
What is the situation on the ground for your teams?
Our first task was to ensure the safety of our 6,000 employees in the area and our 10 ships stranded in the Gulf. The ships are grouped together in the middle of the sea, where they are safer than they would be in the ports, which are under attack. Next, we had to take care of the cargo. Now, we must secure our fuel supplies.
Subscribers only
