Maersk announced that it is halting all its operations in Russia and Belarus amid the ongoing war with its neighbour, Ukraine.

The Danish shipping giant said other local operations in the said countries are winding down —  and no new business will be permitted there.

“Earlier we have communicated A.P. Moller - Maersk would cease all our operations in Russia and Belarus. Maersk has now stopped all vessel operations in Russia and service with Belarus,” it said in its latest customer advisory.

“For the domestic operations, they are gradually being winded down and/or divested. The winddown does not allow for any new business in neither Russia nor Belarus.”

Maersk noted that it has “worked steadily” to ensure the safety and stability of its workers while also putting emphasis on its continuous goal to safeguard the supply chains for its customers.

“We have done our utmost to withdraw from Russia in a responsible way, with our offices in Far East Russia, Novorossiysk and Kaliningrad expected to close down during the summer of 2022,” the shipping line said.

“The Saint Petersburg and Moscow offices will run until the end of the year. Our Belarus office will also be shut down during the summer.”

Maersk said for the affected cargo, the company has done its utmost to deliver it to initially planned end-destinations or to offer a change of destination where practicable, legally allowed, and reasonable for our customers. 

“However, for some customers, this has not been possible despite our efforts. We will always work with the objective of minimising disruption to our customers’ supply chains and we strongly encourage affected customers to keep the lines of communication open between our teams. This is to ensure that we find the best solutions for your company’s logistics,” Maersk added.