[CNBC] The U.S.-Iran war had created a "new wake-up call" for global trade, Maersk CEO Vincent Clerc told CNBC on Thursday, warning that the impact could worsen in the coming months.Speaking to CNBC’s "Squawk Box Europe" after Maersk posted its first-quarter earnings, Clerc said the group is facing intense cost pressures that would have to be passed on to customers.
Shares of Maersk were last seen trading around 7.2% lower, paring earlier losses. Clerc was speaking to CNBC after Maersk reported a sharp decline in profitability and made no changes to its guidance, but warned of the impact of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
"We are highly energy intensive industry, and that has created a whole new set of circumstances that we now have to deal with," he said. "That will have an important impact on the second and third quarter."
Oil costs surged as the war in the Middle East intensified, with ongoing uncertainty around the closure of the Strait of Hormuz keeping prices elevated. The spike in oil prices has also fueled concerns that inflation will be pushed higher in many economies.
Related:
Maersk 03/31/2026 China Detains over 70 Panamanian Registry Vessels since March 8th
Maersk 03/03/2026 US military blasts Iranian warship in new video, says regime has ''ZERO'' left in Gulf of Oman
Maersk 01/13/2026 Most Vaxxed Country on Earth Now Faces a Population Crisis
Maersk 03/31/2026 China Detains over 70 Panamanian Registry Vessels since March 8th
Maersk 03/03/2026 US military blasts Iranian warship in new video, says regime has ''ZERO'' left in Gulf of Oman
Maersk 01/13/2026 Most Vaxxed Country on Earth Now Faces a Population Crisis