Zim will bear expenses for the transfer of containers unloaded at Piraeus to Ashdod

The Israeli shipping company Zim Integrated Shipping Services Ltd., decided last week to divert a container ship to the Greek port of Piraeus rather than unload it at the port of Ashdod.
 
The decision was made due the military situation in the north and fears of heavy congestion at Ashdod port.
 
Following the decision, the Federation of Israeli Chambers of Commerce director general Yehezkel Daskal sent an urgent letter to Zim CEO Doron Goder, calling on him to continue unloading the company’s ships at Israeli ports. Daskal emphasized the national importance of such a move.
 
Daskal added that this would be the first time that an Israeli shipping company had decided to divert one of its vessel to foreign ports, during national crisis. Daskal also emphasized that he expected that local importers would not be charged for any additional freight charges from Piraeus to Haifa once the crisis is over and that Zim would incur the unforeseen transportation costs.
 
Zim CEO Doron Goder said in reply that, “Due to the closure of Haifa port by the Home Front Command and the long queue of ships at Ashdod port, we decided to move one large container ship to a port near the Middle East. At our expense we will transfer at the containers to Ashdod immediately and without delay.”