Major Shipping Companies Suspend Operations in the Gulf and Suez Canal
Sudanhorizon – Agencies
Major shipping companies have suspended operations through the Gulf on Saturday as reaction to the clashes between the United States, Israel on the one hand and Iran on the other hand, a move that will further slow maritime supply chains in the region.
The announcement came as Iran’s Revolutionary Guard sent radio messages to ships on Saturday warning them against entering the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway for global shipping that has been “effectively closed,” according to the Iranian news agency Tasnim.
The French shipping group CMA CGM issued a statement instructing its vessels in the Gulf to “seek refuge” and suspending transits through the Suez Canal due to the conflict in the region.
The statement from the company, the world’s third-largest container shipping group, read: “All vessels currently in the Gulf or bound for the Gulf have received effective instructions to seek refuge.”
The statement added that “transit through the Suez Canal is suspended until further notice, and vessels will be rerouted around the Cape of Good Hope” in South Africa, which would add thousands of kilometers to the journey.
The company explained that the decision comes in light of restrictions imposed on maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, emphasizing that the safety of its crews and the security of its vessels are top priority.
It added that it will contact customers as soon as further details become available regarding potential alternative ports for unloading cargo, noting that these measures are based on safety considerations and are in accordance with the terms and conditions of the bills of lading.
CMA CGM also confirmed that it will publish further updates on its website as the situation develops and new information emerges regarding vessels affected by the decision, given the continued impact of tensions on global trade and maritime supply chains.
Hapag-Lloyd, the world’s fifth-largest shipping company, also announced the suspension of all vessel transits through the Strait of Hormuz “until further notice.”
Several shipping groups, including giant Mertz, have informed their customers of potential delays in shipments due to recent developments.
The United States has instructed its ships to avoid the Gulf due to military operations in the region.
For its part, Danish shipping company Maersk said on Friday that it would temporarily reroute some of its upcoming voyages around the Cape of Good Hope after encountering unexpected restrictions in the Red Sea region.
The container shipping company announced last month the gradual resumption of some of its services transiting the Suez Canal, a move it considers crucial to ending two years of disruption to global trade caused by attacks by Yemen’s Houthi group on ships in the Red Sea.
However, the company stated on Friday that it is currently facing unexpected restrictions stemming from the broader operating environment in the Red Sea region, according to Reuters.
Japanese shipping companies have suspended operations in the Strait of Hormuz after the United States and Israel launched military strikes against Iran.
A spokesman for Nippon Yusen said the company instructed its vessels to cease transiting the area on Saturday.
A spokesperson for Mitsui O.S.K. Lines said, “We are refraining from sailing through the Strait of Hormuz. Our vessels have been instructed to remain in safe waters,” adding that the safety of the crew, cargo, and vessels is “our top priority,” according to Reuters.
A spokesperson for Kawasaki Kisen said that several of its vessels currently in the Gulf are on standby, adding that, unlike other routes, there are no options for diverting shipments.
The spokesperson said, “We will not attempt to send vessels through the Strait or send additional vessels to the area until the situation stabilizes.”
The Strait, which Iran has threatened to block in the event of any US military attack, is a crucial transit point for global oil supplies and the main shipping route connecting the oil-rich Gulf states of the Middle East to markets in Asia, Europe, and North America.
In 2024, approximately 20 million barrels of crude oil passed through the Strait daily, according to the US Energy Information Administration, representing about 20% of global oil consumption. Approximately one-fifth of the world’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) supply, primarily from Qatar, also passes through it.
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