Maersk

One of the most important IKEA supply centers worldwide, that which will supply Eastern Mediterranean countries with the products of the Swedish giant, will start operating about a year from now, in Aspropyrgos, West Attica. 

The recent attacks by the Houthi rebels on ships in the Red Sea have already started to significantly affect trading activities, especially in the container segment, while creating an opportunity for Turkish manufacturers.

The Suez Canal crisis has started to cause significant delays in the smooth supply of the Greek market with durable consumer goods imported from Asia, such as refrigerators, televisions, computers and cars.

Oil futures continued trading near two-week highs after a surge triggered by escalating ship attacks in the Red Sea, prompting major shipping companies to divert routes and heightening concerns over global oil supply.

Two of the world's largest shipping firms, Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd, said Friday they were suspending passage through a Red Sea strait vital for global commerce, after Yemeni rebel attacks in the area.

Danish shipping giant Maersk said on Nov. 3 that it would slash 3,500 jobs as net profit and revenue plunged in the third quarter due to a sharp fall in freight rates.

Maersk's net profit nosedived to $521 million between July and September against $8.9 billion a year earlier.

French oil giant Total said on Aug. 21 that it would buy Maersk Oil, a unit of the Danish shipping giant A.P. Moller-Maersk, for $7.45 billion (6.35 billion euros).

The company said the deal would make Total the second-largest operator in the North Sea, with substantial operations in Britain, Norway and Denmark.

Danish shipping and oil firm A.P. Moller-Maersk has reported its computer systems crashed as a result of a cyber attack on Tuesday. The company called it a global issue.

"We can confirm the breakdown is caused by a cyber attack," a spokeswoman said.

Russia's top oil producer Rosneft said a large-scale cyber attack hit its servers on June 27 and computer systems at some banks and the main airport in neighbouring Ukraine were also disrupted.
   
A Moscow-based cyber security firm, Group-IB, said it appeared to be a coordinated attack simultaneously targeting victims in Russia and Ukraine.
   

Xu Lirong, head of China Cosco Shipping Corporation, holder of a controlling stake in Piraeus Port Authority, is the man with the greatest influence in global shipping, according to the annual rankings of Lloyd's List. The top 100 includes 15 Greek shippers.