“It is too early to comment on possible implications of these sanctions. We generally stay critical towards trade sanctions, as it is difficult to predict their effect, and because international trade has many benefits to our society,” said Mikkel Linet, Group Press Officer of Maersk. "As a global company we are used to operate in regions and countries experiencing political tensions and disagreement. We are in close dialogue with our customers to ensure robust contingency plans are being developed – and will make every reasonable effort to assist with the return, or change of destination, of any such cargo."
Spokesman from Hapag Lloyd said: "The Russian market is just a small part of our worldwide operations, it is an incovenience for our customers from affected countries ofcourse, we have had to tell that we will offload their containers in Hamburg. We then wait for further instructions from them, hopefully they can find a buyer close by for the produce, for the larger companies this not such a big problem." For the company as a whole it is not a huge problem.
Johan Chrétien of Rejo Fresh, a logistics service provider from Roeselare, says it's currently rather quiet when it comes to cargo transport. "Prices are under pressure, and when you add in this whole Russia business, the market is completely tied up. The negative impact on logistics service will soon follow, and is already noticeable. All trucks going to Russia from the West, have to find other destinations. There's a large vehicle fleet, so we will feel it in the whole of Europe."