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**Hugh** · 01-03-2022, 13:14

https://www.reuters.com/business/wor...ia-2022-03-01/

Quote:

The world's two biggest container lines on Tuesday temporarily suspended cargo shipments to and from Russia in response to Western sanctions on Moscow following its invasion of Ukraine, in a further blow to trade with the country.

Russia's assault on its neighbour, which Moscow says is a "special operation", is the biggest state-to-state invasion in Europe since World War Two.

Swiss headquartered MSC, the world's biggest container shipping company by capacity, said in a customer advisory that as of March 1 it had introduced "a temporary stoppage on all cargo bookings to/from Russia, covering all access areas including Baltics, Black Sea and Far East Russia”.

MSC will continue to accept and screen bookings for delivery of essential goods such as food, medical equipment and humanitarian goods," it said.

Denmark's Maersk (MAERSKb.CO) said separately it would temporarily halt all container shipping to and from Russia, also adding that the suspension covering all Russian ports, would not include foodstuffs, medical and humanitarian supplies.

"As the stability and safety of our operations is already being directly and indirectly impacted by sanctions, new Maersk bookings within ocean and inland to and from Russia will be temporarily suspended," the company said in a statement.

The moves follow similar decisions already taken by Singapore-headquartered Ocean Network Express and Germany's Hapag Lloyd (HLAG.DE) - effectively cutting Russia off from the world's leading container shipping companies, adding to freight challenges ahead.