Shipping firm Maersk temporarily pauses Haifa port calls

COPENHAGEN: Container shipping company Maersk said on Friday it had temporarily paused vessel calls at Israel’s Haifa port, amid the country’s escalating conflict with Iran.

The Danish company said it had not experienced any further disruptions to its scheduled operations in the region.

Haifa port, which was privatised in 2022, is owned 70 per cent by India’s Adani Ports while the remaining 30 per cent is held by Israel’s Gadot Group.

Adani Ports is the ports operating arm of Adani Group, led by billionaire Gautam Adani. Including Haifa port, the company operates four ports outside Indian waters.

A spokesperson for the Adani Group did not immediately respond to Reuters’ email and text messages requesting comment.

Israel has been hitting Iran from the air since last Friday in what it describes as an effort to prevent Tehran from developing nuclear weapons. Iran has denied plans to develop such weapons and has retaliated by launching counterstrikes on Israel.