3 giant shipping companies stop transportation to and from Russia
Three giant shipping companies made decisions to cancel new reservations to and from Russia on Tuesday, citing growing concern about the escalation of the Ukrainian crisis.
Shipping giant Maersk said in a statement that it would temporarily suspend new bookings to and from Russia, with the exception of food, medical and humanitarian supplies.
"The stability and safety of our operations is already directly and indirectly affected by the sanctions," she added in a statement carried by CNN.
“We are very concerned about the continued escalation of the crisis in Ukraine,” the company added, noting that it was beginning to “see the impact on global supply chain flows such as delays, the seizure of goods by customs authorities through various shipping hubs, and unpredictable operational impacts.”
The Denmark-based company added that it "cannot receive or make payments to any sanctioned Russian banks, or any other sanctioned party."
MSC Shipping, one of the world's largest shipping companies, also said it would stop all bookings for freight to and from Russia from Tuesday.
The company said in a statement that this would include "all access areas, including the Baltic, the Black Sea and the Russian Far East."
But MSC will continue to accept reservations for the delivery of essential goods such as food, medical equipment and humanitarian goods.
Another shipping company, CMA CGM, also suspended all reservations to and from Russia on Tuesday "for the sake of safety."
The company said: “Our top priority remains protecting our employees and ensuring the continuity of our supply chain as possible.
The sanctions do not require stopping sailing to Russia, but it is another sign that companies are finding it in their interest to cut off trade ties with Moscow, according to CNN, which said such moves impose additional pressures on the Russian economy.
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