Russia Food Ban Prompts Return of Maersk Cargo

A "significant" amount of produce out at sea needs to be returned to its original senders after Russia imposed a ban on food imports from Western countries, a unit of A.P. Moller-Maersk said in a regular newsletter.

Maersk did not specify the number of vessels or volume of goods affected by the ban.

Russia imposed the ban earlier this month in retaliation against Western sanctions for its actions in Ukraine, where pro-Moscow rebels are battling government forces. The West accuses Russia of fueling the rebellion, a charge Moscow denies.

"Maersk Line customers were completely unprepared for these sanctions and since they had effect immediately, a significant amount of cargo at sea needs to be returned," Maersk Line said in the note sent late on Wednesday.

A Maersk Line spokesman said the costs of returning goods does not lie with the shipping company but gave no further details.

Maersk said it did not see a big negative impact from the turmoil in Ukraine and Russia's increasing isolation.

In fact, its shipping and terminal segments could benefit should Russia increase imports from Brazil.