Maersk suspends vessel transit through Strait of Hormuz

COPENHAGEN: Maersk, the major container shipping company, said on Sunday it was halting passage through the narrow Strait of Hormuz in the Gulf, next to Iran, for “safety” reasons.

“We are suspending all vessel crossings in the Strait of Hormuz until further notice,” the Danish group said in an online advisory. “The safety of our crews, vessels and customers’ cargo remains our key priority,” it said.

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It made the announcement after Iran’s Revolutionary Guards declared the strait closed, and state media in Oman – which sits on the other side of the strait – said Sunday an oil tanker off its coast was targeted and four of its crew hurt.