Shipping giant Maersk suspends cargo bookings in Persian Gulf

Shipping giant Maersk on Wednesday announced the suspension of cargo bookings for most of the Persian Gulf, dealing a blow to President Donald Trump's efforts to keep trade flowing amid the ongoing Iran war.

The suspension applies to shipping from the UAE, Oman, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia, Reuters reported. The Danish firm is one of the largest shipping conglomerates in the world. Chinese shipping giant COSCO also announced it had suspended bookings in the region.

President Donald Trump previously directed the U.S. Development Finance Corporation (DFC) to offer political risk insurance for ships attempting to navigate the Strait of Hormuz. He also vowed to use the U.S. Navy to escort those vessels and to open the waterway.

The war began last week when the U.S. and Israel launched joint strikes on Iran. The timetable for the conflict remains unclear, as do the administration's goals. Trump previously indicated that American forces had killed some of the replacements he had considered to lead the country.

Ben Whedon is the Chief Political Correspondent at Just the News. Follow him on X.