Three shipping companies will not sail to and from Russia

“As the stability and security of our operations are already directly and indirectly affected by sanctions, Maersk’s new reservations to and from Russia will be suspended, with the exception of food, medical and humanitarian supplies,” shipping giant Maersk said in a statement. Tuesday.

“We are deeply concerned about how the crisis continues to escalate in Ukraine,” the company added, noting that it has begun to see an effect on global supply chain flows, such as delays, detention of goods by customs in various transhipment centers. , unpredictable operational impacts. “

The Danish-based company added that it “cannot receive or make payments to sanctioned Russian banks or another sanctioned country”.

MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company, a Swiss container company, also said it would suspend all cargo reservations to and from Russia from Tuesday. This will include “all access areas, including the Baltic Sea, the Black Sea and Russia’s Far East,” the company said in a statement.

But MSC, which recently overtook Maersk to become the world’s largest container shipping company, will continue to accept and verify reservations for basic goods such as food, medical equipment and humanitarian goods.

Another shipping company, CMA CGM, also suspended all bookings to and from Russia on Tuesday “in the interest of safety”.

“Our highest priorities remain to protect our employees and ensure, as far as possible, the continuity of your supply chain,” the company said.

The suspension of voyages is not required by sanctions imposed on Russia by Western countries in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last week. But this is an additional sign that business finds it in its own interest to sever business ties with the country, and such moves put additional stress on the Russian economy.

These shipping lines are mainly ships carrying containers of goods, not bulk carriers such as oil tankers or those carrying wheat and other goods. Their refusal to sail to Russian ports will hamper the nation’s ability to receive the imported goods on which it depends.

The reluctance of oil tankers to turn to Russia also restricts Russian oil sales, although sanctions specifically allow Russian energy exports to alleviate disruptions in global energy markets.

– Chris Isidore of CNN Business contributed to this report