A Maersk container ship loaded with cargo containers departs from port waters near Kwai Tsing Container Terminal in Hong Kong, China, March 19, 2026.
Chen Xin | Getty Images News | Getty Images
The CEO of Maersk, one of the world’s largest shipping companies, said Thursday that one of his merchant vessels was able to safely pass through the Strait of Hormuz thanks to an “extremely well-executed mission” by the U.S. Navy.
Maersk confirmed earlier this week that the US-flagged Alliance Fairfax, operated by Maersk Lines Ltd. (MLL) subsidiary Farrell Lines, safely crossed the narrow waterway and the Persian Gulf on Monday, accompanied by US troops.
This makes the ship one of the relatively few to safely pass through the Strait of Hormuz since the US-Israel-led war against Iran began on February 28.
Maersk CEO Vincent Clair said the company had deliberately adopted a “very cautious approach” during the Middle East crisis, choosing not to make any crossings even though several ships were stranded in the region.
“In this case, we were specifically contacted by the U.S. government and the U.S. Navy to remove some of the vessels,” Clark told CNBC’s “Squawk Box Europe” on Thursday.
“We conducted thorough preparations with them, looking at all aspects of the mission and whether we could stand in for the safety of the crew if we were to accompany the ship on that operation,” he continued.
“So, it’s a mission that the U.S. military did very well, and thank God for that, because it frees up the ship and allows the crew to go back to doing what they want to do and what they need to do, instead of being stuck in the Gulf,” Clark said.
The mission was launched as the U.S. military attempts to implement President Donald Trump’s short-lived Project Freedom, which aimed to free ships stranded by Iran’s blockade of the Strait, a narrow waterway connecting the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.
“Project Freedom”
U.S. Central Command announced via social media on Monday that two U.S.-flagged commercial ships had successfully passed through the Strait of Hormuz, adding that a U.S. Navy missile destroyer was operating in the area.
But President Trump later called off Project Freedom on Tuesday, saying in a social media post that he would suspend shipping through key maritime choke points to see if the United States and Iran could reach an agreement to end the conflict.
Maersk’s CEO said the company still has eight ships stuck in the Persian Gulf, noting that this is a small number compared to the company’s size.
“But this is obviously a situation where ultimately we need to find a solution for all of these ships,” Clark said.
“Some of them are supposed to stay in the Gulf and work there to transport cargo within the Gulf, but most of them are trapped and we want to make them available for employment outside the Gulf rather than keep them trapped in the Gulf,” he added.
Maersk also reported earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) of $1.75 billion for the first three months of this year, in line with consensus estimates compiled by LSEG. This was a 35% decrease compared to the same period last year.
—CNBC’s Chloe Taylor contributed to this report.
