Maersk’s chief executive said on 14 May that one of the company’s commercial vessels successfully transited the Strait of Hormuz, however several other ships and their crews remain trapped in the region.
Maersk confirmed that the Alliance Fairfax, a U.S.-flagged vessel operated by Farrell Lines, a subsidiary of Maersk Line Ltd., completed its passage through the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf on 4 May without incident, with U.S. military support.
The vessel was among a relatively small number of ships to have safely navigated the strait since the outbreak of conflict involving the U.S. and Israel against Iran on 28 February. Maersk CEO Vincent Clerc, CEO of Maersk however, highlighted that the company has adopted a highly cautious approach amid the ongoing tensions in the Middle East.
In an operational update, Maersk noted that the situation remains highly dynamic, with full maritime certainty not assured. Volatility in the region persists, and in coordination with security partners, Maersk has assessed that transit through the Strait should currently be avoided.
Vincent Clerc further noted to CNBC that Maersk still has eight ships trapped in the Persian Gulf, though he emphasized this is limited relative to the company’s overall fleet.
Clerc added that while some vessels are intended to operate within the Gulf, most are effectively stuck and the company would prefer to redeploy them outside the region rather than keep them idle or constrained within the area.