Has Maersk stopped shipping through the Strait of Hormuz?: Yes. Maersk suspended all Strait of Hormuz transits in early March 2026 when vessel traffic fell 70% following the US-Israeli Operation Epic Fury and subsequent IRGC threats. It also suspended its FM1 and ME11 container services and Gulf shuttle 'until further notice' by late March 2026.Source: Lowdown Iran Conflict 2026
How big is Maersk as a shipping company?: A.P. Moller-Maersk controls approximately 15% of global container shipping capacity and operates APM Terminals across 70+ ports. It employs around 110,000 people and is regularly among the largest non-oil companies in the world by revenue.
What route is Maersk using instead of the Suez Canal?: Maersk has rerouted Asia-Europe container services via the Cape of Good Hope following both the 2023-25 Houthi Red Sea campaign and the 2026 Hormuz blockade. The Cape route adds approximately 60% to transit time compared to the Suez-Hormuz corridor.

Background

A.P. Moller-Maersk is a Danish multinational headquartered in Copenhagen, founded in 1904, and one of the world's two largest container shipping operators by fleet capacity alongside MSC. It controls roughly 15% of global container shipping capacity through its branded fleet and owns the APM Terminals network spanning more than 70 ports. The company is the world's second-largest non-oil company by revenue in some years and employs approximately 110,000 people globally.

Maersk suspended all Strait of Hormuz transits in early March 2026 when vessel traffic fell 70% following Operation Epic Fury. By late March, with P&I war-risk insurance withdrawn by three major clubs, it also suspended its FM1 (FAR East to Middle East) and ME11 (Middle East to Europe) container services and its Gulf shuttle 'until further notice'. The suspension extended disruption beyond oil: manufactured goods, food, and raw materials on the Asia-Europe corridor were rerouted via the Cape of Good Hope, adding weeks to transit times and significant cost.

By 1 June 2026, CENTCOM had redirected 121 commercial vessels in the Persian Gulf under the US blockade enforcement, with a container ship (MSC Sariska V) holed by an unidentified projectile the same day. Maersk's Gulf exposure remains suspended; the company's route economics depend on Hormuz reopening, which in turn depends on MOU negotiations that Iran suspended on 1 June.

How the World Sees Them

Iran

Western container lines including Maersk exiting the Gulf validates Iran's narrative that the US-Israeli operation has caused global economic disruption; Iran's leverage depends partly on how long global shippers can sustain Cape reroutes.

Europe

Maersk's ME11 suspension cuts the fastest container corridor between European manufacturers and Asian suppliers; the European Commission has cited shipping disruption as a drag on 2026 growth forecasts.

Denmark

Maersk is Denmark's largest company by revenue and a national flagship; the Gulf suspension and Iran war directly affect Danish GDP and trade balances, making Copenhagen a quiet diplomatic stakeholder in Hormuz negotiations.

United States

Washington's blockade enforcement has contributed to the commercial environment making Hormuz uninsurable; CENTCOM's redirection of 121 vessels confirms the scale of disruption Maersk's exit anticipated.