The second-largest container shipping company in the world halted its operations at Israel’s main port just before missile strikes from Iran occurred. In a notice issued on Friday, Maersk (OTC: AMKBY) explained, “Following a thorough review of threat assessments related to the current conflict between Israel and Iran, especially concerning the potential dangers of visiting certain Israeli ports and the safety of our personnel, we have decided to temporarily cease our vessel calls at the Port of Haifa and to stop accepting cargo for Haifa.” The carrier did not indicate the anticipated duration of the suspension. Fresh hostilities broke out in the region on June 13, when Israel launched air strikes targeting military and nuclear sites in Iran. On Saturday, the United States initiated its own bombing operations, targeting nuclear installations. In response, Tehran launched missile strikes on Monday that hit multiple sites in Israel, including Haifa, as well as a U.S. military base in Qatar. The rising tensions contributed to a surge in container shipping rates. According to SONAR data, Drewry’s World Container Index for shipments from Shanghai to Rotterdam rose from $2,825 on June 12 to $3,171 on June 19. For additional articles by Stuart Chirls, click here. Related news follows. Tanker prices are rising sharply, yet Maersk continues to operate in the Strait of Hormuz. Solar energy will supply fifty percent of the power requirements for the Port Newark container terminal. According to the latest Freightos index, the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran has not yet impacted shipping activities. An economist warns that the risk of tariff-related harm increases if a new trade agreement is not reached. The article titled “Maersk halts Haifa service ahead of missile strikes from Iran” was originally published on FreightWaves.
