Traders and shippers are avoiding the "acute crisis" of international shipping in the Strait of Hormuz"

　　Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, March 1 – Multiple sources from trading institutions reported on February 28 that after the United States and Israel attacked Iran, Iran announced the closure of the Hormuz Strait shipping channel. Several oil tanker owners and traders have suspended the transportation of crude oil, fuel, and liquefied natural gas through the strait. According to the German Shipowners' Association, the shipping industry is facing an "acute operational crisis."

　　Reuters quoted an executive from a major trading company as saying, "Our ships will remain anchored for several days." Satellite images show multiple vessels stranded near major ports such as Fujairah in the UAE, unable to pass through the Hormuz Strait.

　　French container carrier CMA CGM stated that following the U.S.-Israel attack on Iran, the company has instructed its ships in the Gulf region or heading to the Gulf to seek safe locations for shelter.

　　The Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced on the evening of February 28 that it is prohibiting any vessels from passing through the Hormuz Strait. According to Iran's Tasnim News Agency, with oil tankers and other ships halting their transit through the strait, the Hormuz Strait has effectively been closed. Multiple vessels have repeatedly received radio instructions forbidding them from passing through the strait, and crew members have been asked to shut down engines and prepare for boarding inspections.

　　U.S. ship brokerage firm Poten & Partners informed clients that the shipping disruption in the Hormuz Strait is rapidly escalating. The International Independent Tanker Owners Association stated that the U.S. Navy has warned against navigating in the Gulf, the Gulf of Oman, the northern Arabian Sea, and the waters of the Hormuz Strait, indicating it cannot guarantee shipping safety.

　　The Greek maritime authority issued a navigation notice on February 28, advising vessels to avoid the Gulf, the Gulf of Oman, and the Hormuz Strait.

　　German container shipping company Hapag-Lloyd announced that starting February 28, it is suspending all its vessels from passing through the Hormuz Strait until further notice. The company stated that routes docking at ports in the Gulf region may experience delays, diversions, or schedule adjustments.

　　Danish company Maersk posted a message on its official website stating that it is coordinating all operations in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden regions with security partners, but cargo reception operations in the Middle East remain open.

　　The Hormuz Strait is a critical route for crude oil exports from Middle Eastern oil-producing countries such as Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Qatar, and the UAE. About one-fifth of the world's oil transported by sea passes through this strait. A significant amount of liquefied natural gas produced in Qatar is also exported via this strait.

　　Laura Page from market service agency Kpler told Reuters that 14 liquefied natural gas carriers have shown signs of slowing down, turning around, or halting operations in the Hormuz Strait and surrounding waters. This number is likely to continue rising, affecting Qatar's liquefied natural gas exports.

　　The German Shipowners' Association stated that this conflict has caused severe disruptions to the shipping industry. The association's CEO, Martin Kröger, said in a statement, "For many of our member companies, this is an acute operational crisis, not an abstract geopolitical development."

　　Germany has approximately 300 global shipping companies employing tens of thousands of maritime workers. Kröger stated that many companies are holding crisis response meetings to evacuate vessels from dangerous areas, reroute their journeys, or wait for new instructions outside risk zones.

　　According to Deutsche Presse-Agentur, the U.S.-Israel-Iran conflict could potentially escalate further, putting commercial shipping across the entire Middle East region at significant risk. (Reporter: Qiao Ying)