Danish shipping giant suspends all activities at Port of Salalah following unspecified incident as Middle East tensions escalate.
Shipping giant Maersk suspended all operations at Oman's Port of Salalah on Wednesday following an unspecified incident near the facility's general cargo terminal. The Danish company said activities would remain paused "until further notice" but provided no details about the nature of the incident. The suspension affects one of the region's major shipping hubs.
The halt comes amid escalating security concerns across the Middle East and Mediterranean. Last week, an Iranian-made drone struck a British Royal Air Force base in Cyprus, prompting the UK to deploy a warship to protect its Mediterranean installations. Regional shipping routes have faced increasing disruption from geopolitical tensions.
Port of Salalah serves as a critical transshipment hub for cargo moving between Asia, Europe, and Africa. Maersk operates the facility as part of its global network handling millions of containers annually. The suspension could impact supply chains across multiple regions if extended.
The incident adds to growing maritime security challenges facing international shipping companies operating in Middle Eastern waters. Defense officials across the region are reassessing port security protocols and naval protection measures. The duration of Maersk's operational halt remains unclear pending further assessment.
Separately, drone attacks have intensified in other conflict zones, with three people including a French UN aid worker killed in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo on Wednesday.