While the victims of the terrible earthquake that struck south-east Turkey and part of Syria are still being counted, with the provisional death toll now standing at 7926, and the devastating damage to many port infrastructures, Maersk has announced that it has suspended bookings for shipments to and from the port of Iskenderun (Alexandretta), after a devastating fire broke out that may have been caused by falling containers.
A press release issued by the carrier stated that the port would remain closed until further notice, pointing out that teams were working to repair the extensive damage caused by the disaster . Maersk said they were currently unable to say exactly how long operations would be suspended for, but would keep its customers informed of the latest developments as soon as possible.
The carrier added that their teams were working to develop contingency plans involving nearby hubs and additional feeder ships in order to minimize the overall impact on its customers and their supply chains.
Meanwhile, the payment of demurrage and detention fees, the extra charges levied by big carriers for the parking of containers in and outside port terminals over a certain number of days, will be suspended from the 6th to the 20th of February.
Translation by Giles Foster
