Following CMA CGM and Maersk, the Italian-Swiss group MSC, the world's largest shipping company, ordered its vessels in the Persian Gulf on Sunday to "return to secure refuge areas until further notice." The company also suspended all freight bookings to the Middle East.
In a statement, MSC clarifies that this decision concerns both ships already operating in the region and those en route to the Gulf. The stated objective is to guarantee the safety of crews and cargo in a context of a significantly deteriorating security situation.
Strait of Hormuz and Suez Canal under tension
For its part, the Danish company Maersk, the world's second-largest shipping company, announced the suspension "until further notice" of transits through the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway through which approximately a quarter of the world's oil and a fifth of its liquefied natural gas pass. Services serving Gulf ports could therefore experience delays or route changes.
Maersk has also temporarily suspended some routes through the Suez Canal, diverting ships via the Cape of Good Hope and lengthening journeys by several thousand kilometers. CMA CGM had already taken similar measures on Saturday.
These decisions come as US and Israeli strikes against Iran have led to a military escalation in the region. Shipping companies indicate they are closely monitoring the situation in order to limit the impact on global supply chains.
