up to date! As the Palestinian-Israeli conflict escalates, many shipping companies issue risk announcements

Currently, the Palestinian-Israeli conflict has entered its thirteenth day. According to the Jerusalem Post citing data from the Israeli Ministry of Health, as of the afternoon of the 18th, more than 1,400 Israelis and foreigners had died in Israel, and more than 4,475 people had been injured.

However, the conflict may intensify and port security in the region will be deeply affected.

At the same time, due to the escalation of tensions in the region, international shipping companies warned to be cautious when sailing near the area, with Evergreen, MSC, Maersk, ONE, Hapag-Lloyd, etc. issuing the latest announcements.

Shipping risks at ports in the region have increased significantly

According to foreign media reports, the backlog of ships in Israeli ports is increasing and operations at most terminals are continuing as the military prepares to launch ground attacks in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip.

Israel faces heavy rocket attacks, including in the south of the country, prompting the closure of the smaller port of Ashkelon, the closest terminal to Gaza.

The Port of Ashdod has imposed restrictions on the transport of dangerous goods, meaning shipments are slower.

Data from MarineTraffic showed at least three cargo and dry bulk ships carrying cargo to Ashdod were anchored in nearby waters, while three other vessels including an oil tanker and a container ship were heading to the port. At the same time, about 13 ships - including cargo, container and dry bulk carriers - were anchored inside the port of Ashdod.

Separate data showed that at least three fully loaded dry bulk ships were waiting near Haifa in northern Israel. Haifa and Ashdod are Israel's largest and most important ports.

Industry sources said maritime war insurance rates have soared more than tenfold since last week's attacks and some underwriters are reviewing policies in Ashdod, although Haifa remains unaffected.

Several shipping companies issued announcements

Evergreen Shipping announced that its 1,778TEU "Ever Cozy" ship encountered force majeure and was unable to dock at the Israeli port of Ashdod as planned and was diverted to Haifa.

The company said the situation was beyond its control and all cargo bound for Ashdod had been unloaded in Haifa, adding: “Thereafter, the subject carriage contract is deemed to have been terminated and all liability of the carrier will cease. "

The company informed customers: "In order to protect your interests and minimize your costs, we sincerely recommend that you pick up your goods at the Port of Haifa as soon as possible. If necessary, we recommend that you contact your freight insurance company for assistance."

MSC informed customers: “Currently, Israel’s major ports continue to operate, including the main terminals in Ashdod and Haifa, but there is currently congestion at Ashdod due to increased security checks and labor shortages, resulting in increased waiting times.

Inland services, including road and rail, remain fully operational across the country and surrounding areas.

The company said it would continue to accept bookings to Israel but warned: "Due to current government restrictions on certain United Nations regulations, certain dangerous goods cannot be released at the port of Ashdod."

Therefore, it is currently not possible to create new orders for restricted dangerous goods. MSC added that its offices in Israel were closed.

Another shipping company, Maersk, said it would continue to accept bookings and its services "remain operational" - except for dangerous goods in Haifa and Ashdod.

Maersk said it was "offering a range of relief packages to customers in or shipping goods to Israel", including waiving destination change fees - which are "subject to reloading and transfer costs, as well as the price of any ocean freight to the new destination." difference".

Demurrage and demurrage charges will be suspended at all locations in Israel before November 8.

Recently, ONE issued an announcement, “Following the ongoing situation in Israel, we can confirm that our designated agents in Israel continue to operate.

Our offices in Haifa and Ashdod are operating within the constraints of current security restrictions and all employees are safe and sound. Customers can contact their usual ONE representative via email or phone. "

ONE said it is closely monitoring the development of the situation and will continue to provide updates on any further developments.

In addition, Hapag-Lloyd’s official website recently issued an announcement stating that the operating situation in Israel remains relatively stable. For Ashdod and Haifa, ports have implemented restrictions on the reception of dangerous goods

Hapag-Lloyd therefore no longer accepts bookings for dangerous goods to and from Ashdod and Haifa.

subsequent impact

Insurers are reportedly charging 10 times extra premiums for voyages to Israel, equivalent to 0.15% to 0.2% of a ship's value, or tens of thousands of dollars, up from the previous 0.0125%.

Container leasing and trading platform Container xChange said that while the ports of Ashdod and Haifa account for only 0.4% of global container throughput, any expansion of hostilities beyond Israel’s borders could bring significant disruption to key shipping chokepoints in the region. risk.

Its chief executive Christian Roeloffs said: "The Suez Canal is an important waterway for all kinds of commercial ships, including container ships, and may face disruptions."

"Similarly, the Strait of Hormuz, the backbone of oil and gas transport, may also be affected. However, the extent of these impacts will largely depend on the scale and duration of the conflict."

The Marshall Islands, one of the world's top flag states, last week raised security levels at Israeli ports and its territorial waters to the highest level. "The threat of collateral damage to commercial vessels has increased significantly," the registry said in an advisory.

“Vessels with ties to Israel or the United States may face an increased threat of attack in Israeli territorial waters, the Arabian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz, the Gulf of Oman and the Red Sea.”