Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on March 6, 2026
2 min readLast updated: April 1, 2026
Add as preferred source on GoogleMaersk has temporarily suspended its FM1 (Far East–Middle East) and ME11 (Middle East–Europe) container shipping services as a precaution amid escalating Middle East conflict, citing safety concerns and to limit disruption to its broader network. The move coincides with broader industry disruptions
COPENHAGEN, March 6 (Reuters) - Maersk, one of the world's biggest container shipping groups, said on Friday it has temporarily suspended two services linking the Middle East to Asia and Europe as the Iran conflict continues to disrupt global supply chains.
The Danish group said in a statement it would halt its FM1 service connecting the Far East to the Middle East and its ME11 service linking the Middle East to Europe
"This decision has been taken as a precautionary measure to ensure the safety of our personnel and vessels while minimizing operational disruption across our wider network," Maersk said in an advisory to customers.
Tensions in the Middle East have escalated sharply after the United States and Israel launched their most ambitious attacks on Iran in decades on Saturday in an operation that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The crisis has left 147 container ships sheltering in the Gulf, triggering port congestion and freight rate increases that are rippling across global supply chains from Asia to Europe, according to freight analytics firm Xeneta.
(Reporting by Essi Lehto, editing by Stine Jacobsen and Terje Solsvik)
Maersk suspended its FM1 and ME11 shipping services as a precautionary measure due to escalating conflict in the Middle East to ensure the safety of personnel and vessels.
The FM1 service connecting the Far East to the Middle East and the ME11 service linking the Middle East to Europe have both been temporarily halted.
The crisis has caused 147 container ships to shelter in the Gulf, leading to port congestion and freight rate increases, disrupting supply chains from Asia to Europe.
Tensions escalated after the United States and Israel launched major attacks on Iran, resulting in the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Maersk is minimizing operational disruption across its wider network by suspending certain services to prioritize safety and efficiency.
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