Maersk Holds Back on Hormuz Shipping Despite Ceasefire Openings

Copenhagen — Shipping giant Maersk said on Wednesday that a two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran may create limited opportunities for transit through the Strait of Hormuz but does not yet offer sufficient security assurances to resume normal operations.

“At this point, we take a cautious approach, and we are not making any changes to specific services,” the Danish container group said in a statement to Reuters.

The conflict, which escalated following U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran in February and subsequent Iranian retaliation, led to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and brought Gulf shipping activity close to a standstill, disrupting global supply chains.

Maersk, one of the world’s largest container shipping companies, had suspended cargo bookings to several Gulf ports last month and introduced emergency bunker fuel surcharges globally to offset rising fuel costs.

“The ceasefire may create transit opportunities, but it does not yet provide full maritime certainty and we need to understand all potential conditions attached,” the company said.It added that any decision to resume transit through the strait would depend on ongoing risk assessments, security conditions and guidance from relevant authorities and partners.

In response to disruptions, Maersk has implemented alternative logistics routes, including a “land-bridge” system using ports in Jeddah in Saudi Arabia, Salalah and Sohar in Oman, and Khor Fakkan in the United Arab Emirates, allowing cargo to be transported by land into Gulf destinations.

The company said it would continue to monitor developments closely and update operations as greater clarity emerges in the coming days.