Container shipping giant Maersk said on Wednesday it is proactively redistributing fuel to ensure its ships can refuel as hostilities linked to attacks on Iran have disrupted the flow and storage of maritime fuel in the Middle East. The Danish carrier reported that 10 of its vessels remain stranded in the Gulf.
In a statement, a Maersk spokesperson said the company was "proactively redistributing fuel to ensure vessels can continue to bunker where needed and keep our ocean network running without interruptions." Bunkering is the maritime term for refueling.
The unrest follows a series of U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran that have escalated tensions in a region that funnels roughly one-fifth of the worlds oil through the Strait of Hormuz - a critical energy chokepoint. While much attention has focused on oil tankers, some container ships among the roughly 100 vessels currently stuck in the Gulf have also been attacked.
Operational interruptions in Salalah and Fujairah
On Wednesday, drones struck oil storage facilities at the Port of Salalah in Oman, the incident reported by a security firm and state television. Omans state news agency, citing an energy ministry official, stated there had been no disruption to the continuity of oil supplies or petroleum derivatives within the country.
Maersk separately announced it had paused all operations at the Port of Salalah on Wednesday until further notice, citing "an ongoing incident near the general cargo terminal." The company did not provide additional detail on the pause.
Earlier in the week, falling debris from an intercepted drone sparked a fire that damaged storage infrastructure and disrupted operations at Fujairah, the United Arab Emiratess important ship-fueling hub.
Ships struck and bookings suspended
Some container vessels have suffered direct hits. The Japan-flagged ONE Majesty was reported to have sustained minor damage on Wednesday after being struck by an unknown projectile 25 nautical miles (46 km) northwest of Ras Al Khaimah in the UAE, according to two maritime security firms. Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, the vessels Japanese owner, and a spokesperson for Ocean Network Express (ONE), the ships charterer, said the ONE Majesty was struck while at anchor in the Gulf and suffered minor damage above the waterline. The ONE spokesperson added that all crew members were accounted for.
Maersks alliance partner Hapag-Lloyd reported it has a "single-digit" number of vessels stuck in the Strait of Hormuz, a company spokesperson said. Mediterranean Shipping Co. (MSC) did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
As a precaution, Maersk and other container carriers have suspended bookings for most cargo to and from the UAE, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and other countries in the Middle East.
Customer support and surcharge measures
In an operational update on Wednesday, Maersk said it would prioritize shipments of essential foodstuffs, medicines and perishable goods while assisting customers with rerouting or storing containers. The company also noted that container lines are applying surcharges to cover higher fuel costs and the additional work required to redirect cargo.
Market and service implications
The disruptions have forced carriers to adjust logistics and operational plans across the region. Maersks fuel redistribution aims to maintain scheduled bunkering points for vessels and limit interruptions to the ocean network, but the evolving security situation has already affected port operations and prompted carriers to halt bookings for much of the Gulf.
Independent market evaluation mention
Separately, the article included a note that an AI-driven stock evaluation tool, ProPicks AI, reviews MAERSKa using more than 100 financial metrics and that the tool highlights past winners such as Super Micro Computer and AppLovin with cited performance figures. The mention described the tools use of data to assess fundamentals, momentum and valuation. The article did not provide further commentary on Maersks stock or investment recommendations.