Maersk Suspends Key Shipping Routes as Iran Conflict Disrupts Global Trade

One of the world’s largest container shipping companies, Maersk, has halted two major maritime services linking the Middle East with Asia and Europe as the ongoing conflict involving Iran continues to disrupt international trade routes.

The Danish shipping group said it has suspended its FM1 service, which connects the Far East with the Middle East, and the ME11 service linking the Middle East to Europe. The company described the move as a precautionary measure aimed at protecting crew members, vessels and cargo amid escalating security risks in the region.

The decision comes as the U.S.- and Israel-led military campaign against Iran enters its seventh day, intensifying instability across key shipping corridors in the Middle East.

A major concern for global trade is the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most strategically important maritime routes. The narrow waterway connects the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and serves as a vital transit point for roughly 20% of global oil and gas shipments.

Due to heightened risks in the area, several container shipping operators have suspended traffic through the strait and redirected vessels around the southern tip of Africa — a significantly longer route that adds time and cost to shipments.

The disruption is already creating pressure across global logistics networks. According to freight analytics firm Xeneta, at least 147 container ships are currently sheltering inside the Persian Gulf as companies wait for conditions to stabilize.

The accumulation of vessels is contributing to port congestion, delays and rising freight rates, effects that are expected to ripple through international supply chains in the coming weeks.

Maersk also announced additional operational changes in the region. Shuttle services operating within the Persian Gulf have been suspended indefinitely, while its ME1 route between the Middle East and northern Europe will temporarily bypass the major port of Jebel Ali in the United Arab Emirates.

Instead, that service will continue calling at ports in India and Oman while avoiding the most volatile areas.

Despite the operational disruption, the market reaction has been relatively muted so far, with Maersk shares slipping slightly in trading.

Still, analysts warn that prolonged instability in the Middle East — especially around the Strait of Hormuz — could have far-reaching consequences for global trade flows, energy markets and shipping costs if the conflict continues to escalate.