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World · 1 March 2026

Maersk Halts All Middle East Shipping as War Spreads to the Seas

Maersk Halts All Middle East Shipping as War Spreads to the Seas

Photo by Venti Views on Unsplash

The world's largest container shipping company, Maersk, suspended all vessel crossings through the Strait of Hormuz and paused all Trans-Suez sailings, rerouting ships around Africa's Cape of Good Hope - adding up to 10 extra days per journey. MSC and Hapag-Lloyd issued identical suspensions. Iran's Revolutionary Guard declared the strait closed following US-Israeli strikes. Over 200 vessels are anchored in the area. Twenty percent of the world's daily oil flows through Hormuz with no alternative route, threatening global supply chains.

Reported by Reuters · How we write briefs

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