Maersk to gradually resume operations at Venezuela's La Guaira port
The carrier is phasing in vessel calls over three weeks following an earthquake that disrupted the port in June
Danish shipping line Maersk has announced it will begin a gradual return to operations at the Port of La Guaira in Venezuela, following an earthquake that struck the region in late June and disrupted normal port activity. The carrier said the phased return is intended to support a safe and stable restoration of services while allowing port activities to ramp up progressively rather than resuming all operations at once.
Under the scheduled plan, one vessel will evacuate empty containers from the port during the first week of the return, followed by a second vessel discharging full import containers the following week. Both import and export operations are then scheduled to resume fully through La Guaira in the third week of the plan, with the same first vessel returning to handle the resumption of combined services.
Maersk has stressed that the timeline remains subject to change depending on operational conditions at the port, including the readiness of terminal infrastructure, equipment availability, access routes, ongoing safety assessments and regulatory guidance from Venezuelan authorities. The company said it will continue monitoring the situation closely and will adjust the operational plan should conditions on the ground require it.
Cargo that was originally booked to Venezuela but requires a change of destination as a result of the disruption will be subject to all applicable operational fees, surcharges and related costs associated with the modification, the carrier said, reflecting the additional logistical burden of rerouting shipments away from an affected port during a recovery period.
The phased restart underscores the caution shipping lines are applying when resuming service at ports affected by natural disasters, balancing the commercial pressure to restore normal trade flows against the operational and safety risks of returning too quickly to a facility still recovering from significant disruption. Maersk's step-by-step approach at La Guaira is likely to serve as a template for how the carrier handles similar disruptions elsewhere in the region.
