Maersk temporarily suspends new bookings to/from Port of Berbera, effective 20 Apr 2026

On 20 Apr 2026 Maersk announced it will "temporarily suspend acceptance of new bookings to and from the Port of Berbera." The company said cargo already en route will be delivered and recommended customers use alternative routes via Djibouti, Mogadishu or Mombasa.

The suspension will likely shift container volumes away from Berbera toward established gateways such as Djibouti and Mombasa, tightening capacity on those corridors and raising short-term freight and inland transport costs for import-dependent Ethiopia. Higher logistics costs and delayed deliveries could exert near-term pressure on Ethiopia's import bill and working-capital needs, with potential spillovers to corporate refinancing spreads and reserve adequacy.

Monitor Maersk updates for resumption timing and other carriers' capacity moves into Berbera in the next 2–4 weeks.