Hapag-Lloyd has confirmed that 'several' of its vessels are currently unable to depart from the Persian Gulf due to the recent escalation of tensions in the Middle East. This situation affects cargo volumes in the mid-double-digit thousands of TEUs, and the shipping line is considering imposing booking restrictions. Speaking at the TPM conference in Long Beach, CEO Rolf Habben Jansen stated that the safety of their ships and crews in the region is their foremost priority. 'Everyone has ships stuck in the Persian Gulf… that’s currently also our first priority,' he remarked.