(Adds Maersk COO, MSC comment, details)
By Randy Fabi
SINGAPORE, June 30 (Reuters) – The world’s largest container
firm suspended operations at several Iranian ports, potentially
disrupting critical food shipments as it complies with
tightening U.S. sanctions.
A.P. Moller-Maersk (MAERSKb.CO) manages several refigerated
ships that transport food to the country, typically a major
importer of wheat, rice and palm oil.
Although shipments could be delayed ahead of the Muslim
fasting month of Ramadan, analysts do not expect any major
long-term disruption.
Maersk operates in other Iranian ports and could also divert
shipments to Dubai, partnering with other companies that are not
bound by U.S. sanctions aimed at curtailing Iran’s alleged
nuclear weapons programme.
“Although Maersk has suspended its direct service to Bandar
Abbas, it is still able to carry cargo to Iran using third-party
feeders,” said Hua Joo Tan, an analyst with industry consultancy
group Alphaliner.
“Most container services are still calling at Iranian ports
as most of these operators are not affected by the U.S.
sanctions.”
The United States last week blacklisted Tidewater Middle
East Co. and prohibited U.S. entities from any transactions with
the major Iranian port operator, which manages over 90 percent
of the country’s container operations.
“Maersk Line is committed to complying with all relevant
foreign trade controls and sanctions programmes,” said Morten
Engelstoft, chief operating officer for Maersk Line in a
statement on Thursday.
“In this connection, Maersk Line has decided to cease
acceptance of, business to and from the Iranian ports of Bandar
Abbas, Bandar Khomeini and Asaluyeh.”
SHIPPING ALTERNATIVES
The sanctions on Iran are expected to force many shippers to
avoid the main container terminal at Bandar Abbas and other port
facilities managed by Tidewater Middle East, which Washington
suspects is run by the Revolutionary Guards.
Tidewater-managed ports have been used to export arms or
handle related material in violation of U.N. Security Council
resolutions, the U.S. Treasury said last week.
“They (Iran) are significant importers of Australian wheat,
Thai rice and Malaysian palm oil,” said Ker Chung Yang, an
agricultural commodities analyst at Phillip Futures in
Singapore.
“We are not sure how they are going to sort this out as it
could disrupt food supply to Iran, especially ahead of the
Ramadan festival.”
Hong Kong-based Orient Overseas Container Line
last week suspended its direct voyages to Bandar Abbas, saying
it was due to commercial reasons and not because of U.S.
sanctions.
A spokesman for privately owned Switzerland-based
Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), the world’s second largest
container firm after Maersk, said its Iranian operations were
not immediately affected by the sanctions.
Bandar Abbas, the world’s 49th largest container port in
2009, handled around 2.6 million twenty-foot equivalent
container units last year, according to Tidewater’s website.
The port, along with Bandar Imam and Bandar Amirabad,
handled a total of 2.56 million tonnes of general cargo and
10.32 million tonnes of bulk goods.
(Additional reporting by Naveen Thukral; Editing by Michael
Urquhart)
Originally Published On: www.reuters.com – Original Article Here