tor is also suffering from Russia's import ban. Reactions or figures are difficult to collect, because a lot of fresh produce is transported by foreign transporters from countries such as Poland, Romania and Bulgaria. “It is too early to comment on possible implications of these sanctions. We generally stay critical towards trade sanctions, as it is difficult to predict their effect, and because international trade has many benefits to our society,” said Mikkel Linet, Group Press Officer of Maersk. "As a global company we are used to operate in regions and countries experiencing political tensions and disagreement. We are in close dialogue with our customers to ensure robust contingency plans are being developed – and will make every reasonable effort to assist with the return, or change of destination, of any such cargo."
Spokesman from Hapag Lloyd said: "The Russian market is just a small part of our worldwide operations, it is an incovenience for our customers from affected countries ofcourse, we have had to tell that we will offload their containers in Hamburg. We then wait for further instructions from them, hopefully they can find a buyer close by for the produce, for the larger companies this not such a big problem." For the company as a whole it is not a huge problem.
Philippe Degraef, director of Febetra, the royal federation of Belgian transporters and logistics service providers, says that they can't judge the situation very well. "We haven't received any complaints from our Belgian members. Perhaps that's because no Belgian transporter is driving such long distances any more. That's been the case for a number of years now. Long distance transport isn't carried out by Belgians any more, the competition from Eastern European member states is cheaper. Fresh produce does leave Belgium for Russia, but definitely not in vehicles with Belgian license plates."
Johan Chrétien of Rejo Fresh, a logistics service provider from Roeselare, says it's currently rather quiet when it comes to cargo transport. "Prices are under pressure, and when you add in this whole Russia business, the market is completely tied up. The negative impact on logistics service will soon follow, and is already noticeable. All trucks going to Russia from the West, have to find other destinations. There's a large vehicle fleet, so we will feel it in the whole of Europe."
