Germany shipowners Hapag-Lloyd halts traffic through Strait of Hormuz

German shipowners Hapag-Lloyd, the fifth largest in the world, announced Saturday it was suspending traffic by its vessels through the Strait of Hormuz because of the unfolding conflict in the region.

"Due to the conflict in the Middle East and the official closure of the Strait of Hormuz by relevant authorities amid the evolving security situation in the region, Hapag-Lloyd is suspending all vessel transits through the waterway until further notice," it said.

"The safety and security of our crews, vessels, and (customers') cargo remain our highest priority," Hapag-Lloyd said in the statement posted on its website.

Earlier Saturday, Iran's Revolutionary Guards said the Strait of Hormuz was unsafe due to US and Israeli attacks and was therefore closed to ships.

The strait, which Iranian officials have often threatened to block in the event of a US attack, is a key transit point for global oil trade.

Approximately 20 million barrels of crude oil passed through the narrow waterway daily in 2024, equivalent to nearly 20 percent of global liquid oil consumption, according to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA).

The Guards on Saturday warned several ships that the strait was "basically closed", the Tasnim news agency reported, owing to the ongoing conflict. The EU's naval mission to the Red Sea confirmed that vessels had received radio messages despite no formal closure order.

The Strait of Hormuz is frequently the scene of ship seizures and attacks.

Incidents multiplied after the United States withdrew in 2018 from the international agreement on Iran's nuclear program.

In April 2024, the Revolutionary Guards seized the Portuguese-flagged container ship MSC Aries, accusing its owner of being "linked to Israel".

In early February, a US-flagged tanker was approached and challenged by Iranian gunboats in the strait, before continuing on its way, US Central Command said.