Cosco resumes shipment in Gulf region
Chinese shipping company Cosco Shipping Lines has resumed booking services for container shipments in the Middle East region, amid the ongoing US-Israel conflict with Iran.
IMAGE: Couple of COSCO's container ships docking at a port. COSCO
The shipping firm has resumed new booking services for general cargo containers for shipments from the Far East to many Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman and Iraq, it said.
Cosco Shipping Line’s (Cosco) announcement comes shortly after Iran notified the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and the International Maritime Organization (IMO) that “non-hostile” vessels are allowed to transit the Strait of Hormuz.
Earlier in March, Cosco suspended fresh bookings and directed ships already operating in the Gulf region to move to safer areas, after Tehran shut commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.
Notably, the seven countries named in Cosco’s advisory have all come under Iranian missile and drone attacks targeting key energy and infrastructure assets.
“The above new booking arrangement and the actual carriage are subject to change due to the volatile situation in the Middle East region,” Cosco said.
Meanwhile, Washington claims it has begun engaging with Tehran, although Iranian officials dismissed the assertion, saying the US military was effectively “negotiating with itself,” Reuters reported.
By Aparupa Mazumder
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