CEVA Logistics has declared Force Majeure on all its services including air freight, ocean freight, ground Freight, rail, customs brokerage and contract logistics services.
The Swiss global logistics and supply chain company said the spread of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) virus throughout all continents is currently disrupting all aspects of normal business activity.
Almost all governments have also imposed "increasingly stringent" prevention and protection measures.
"The serious potential health risks to which our employees, our suppliers and more generally, all our stakeholders are being subjected, are creating constant obstacles to our activities in all affected countries. Our entire global workforce is continuously engaged in attempting to limit these disruptions, deploying continuity plans whose aim is to maintain the highest possible levels of service for our customers," CEVA said in a statement.
"The COVID-19 virus and the necessary response measures being taken by governments are entirely outside the control of CEVA Logistics. As they were unforeseeable, they fall within the definition of 'Force Majeure' - the principles of which are universally recognized in business, and enshrined in law," it added.
The declaration of Force Majeure in all its services means that the company is temporarily relieved of its normal contractual obligations where these are rendered impossible or impracticable, due to the Coronavirus epidemic and its effects.
Having declared Force Majeure, CEVA Logistics said it reserves the right to modify all or part of its services, to change its working procedures and any previously agreed rates and prices, to levy surcharges, or otherwise to take any measures necessary to adjust its business operations and its obligations to its customers, suppliers and other stakeholders, in response to the prevailing circumstances.
Earlier, DHL Global Forwarding also made a similar announcement saying it is declaring force majeure for its air and ocean shipments amid disruptions caused by the ongoing coronavirus outbreak which is beyond its control.
