Heavy news! Confirmed! Maersk and MSC have successively announced the suspension of all Russian business bookings!
Maersk and Mediterranean successively announced
Suspend all business reservations to and from Russia
Since March 1, 2022, Maersk’s official website has continuously issued announcements due to escalating concerns about the Russian Ukrainian crisis. Maersk is paying close attention to the changing situation and the new sanctions imposed by governments on Russia. In view of this, it is necessary to establish and modify the existing process of accepting and processing reservations.
At present, Maersk has noticed the impact of the incident on the global supply chain, such as the delay and detention of goods at various transit hubs – which has an unpredictable operational impact on the whole. As the stability and safety of its business have been directly and indirectly affected by the sanctions, Maersk will suspend new bookings for sea, air and intercontinental railways to and from Russia, except for food, medical and humanitarian supplies. It will be implemented from now on (March 1), covering all Russian gateway ports. As the plan progresses, Maersk will release more details in the next few days.
In order to minimize supply chain disruption and not exacerbate congestion in global ports and warehouses. Maersk will try its best to deliver the goods that have been shipped and booked before the suspension is announced.
However, significant delays are expected due to the detention of ships bound for Russia by countries such as the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany. (it is reported that the container ship “vayenga Maersk” deployed on the Rotterdam St. Petersburg feeder route has been refused to enter the port of Rotterdam since its arrival from St. Petersburg on February 26 and has been berthed at the anchorage outside Rotterdam) the inspection of export and transshipment goods destined for Russia is related to the implementation procedures to comply with the recent sanctions and export controls imposed by different jurisdictions.
“Vayenga mask” No
Maersk team has been in contact with local customs and port authorities to speed up the release of all goods not affected by sanctions and export controls, giving priority to humanitarian goods such as food, drugs, health and personal care. It is expected that these delays will have a chain reaction on the entire regional shipping network, leading to further delays and congestion.
Maersk said that due to full compliance with laws, regulations and policies, it could not collect or pay money from any sanctioned Russian bank or any other sanctioned party.
MSc suspends all round-trip cargo bookings to and from Russia
On March 1, MSC Mediterranean Shipping announced that all de bookings of goods to and from Russia, including the Baltic Sea, the Black Sea and the Far East of Russia, would be suspended immediately from March 1. However, MSC will continue to accept and screen reservations for the delivery of necessities such as food, medical equipment and humanitarian supplies.
MSc said that after the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, it has been paying close attention to the suggestions of governments on new sanctions, and has been operating shipping and inland services to and from Russia in full compliance with the international sanctions applicable to Russia.
On the first day of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, that is, last Thursday, Herbert became the first shipping company to suspend Russian bookings. On the 28th, one also announced the suspension of bookings.
At present, other logistics companies, including Seko logistics, have also stopped accepting orders from Russia, and UPS United Parcel and FedEx have also suspended shipping to Russia. DHL is still waiting. Freight forwarding giants such as DSV and DTK have suspended their Ukrainian business, while the Russian business is operating normally.
Britain bans Russian ships from berthing
American pilot: refuse to board the Russian vessel entering the port
The Russian satellite news agency reported on February 28 local time that the UK banned Russian ships from calling at its ports. The UK transport minister called on all UK ports to deny access to any “vessels flying the Russian flag, registered, owned, controlled, chartered or operated”. British Transport Secretary grant Sharpes said in a letter, “the maritime sector is crucial to international trade. We must play a role in limiting Russia’s economic interests and holding the Russian government accountable.”
It is reported that the senior pilot of a major U.S. port told the authorities on February 28 local time that he refused to board any Russian flagged vessel entering the port. In an email specially provided to the local port authority, the pilot asked the officials of the west coast port authority of the United States to inform him whether any ships flying the Russian flag asked to enter the port. It is reported that if the pilot’s request is approved, it may cause greater pressure on the increasingly crowded U.S. ports and Russia’s shipping interests.
“The decision not to board a Russian ship must be approved by the state or federal government,” said an executive of the board of directors of another large port on the west coast. “We will refuse to pilot some sanctioned ships, but we cannot track the ownership of the ships, so the order whether we can pilot must come from government officials.”
According to fleetmon, a ship AIS tracking service provider, there are currently no ships flying the Russian flag near U.S. ports. It is unclear how many Russian owned, controlled, chartered or operated vessels are in U.S. waters.