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The Interview

Vincent Clerc, CEO of Maersk: The two sides of war

The Interview

BBC

News, Government, Politics

4.3537 Ratings

🗓️ 13 March 2026

⏱️ 23 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

“We need to get back to something where freedom of navigation and peaceful navigation is restored, and that will depend on some kind of deal between the two sides in that war.” Jonathan Josephs speaks to Vincent Clerc, CEO of Maersk the world’s second largest shipping company. The conflict between Iran, Israel and the United States has led to the closure of the vital Strait of Hormuz. It’s one of the world’s most important shipping routes which before this war, carried about a fifth of global oil supplies. Cargo ships there are being targeted, and seafarers have been killed. The disruption is halting the transport of vital cargo containers and pushing up energy prices. Countries in the Gulf region like Saudi Arabia, rely heavily on energy exports, and, Asia, where much of it is sold, will be hit hard. Food and fertiliser supplies are also being affected. It's not just the Strait of Hormuz that's being disrupted. Security threats mean shipping is also avoiding the Red Sea route through the Suez Canal, which because of the sheer volume of cargo traffic, is arguably more important to global trade. Vincent Clerc says the cost of war will have to be passed on, leading to higher prices for consumers around the world. Thank you to Jonathan Josephs for his help in making this programme. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC, including episodes with Majid Takht-Ravanchi, Iran’s deputy foreign minister, Jamie Dimon Chief Executiveof JP Morgan Chase and many others. You can listen on the BBC World Service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts. Presenter: Jonathan Josephs Producer: Clare Williamson Editor: Damon Rose Get in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.

(Image: Vincent Clerc Credit: BBC)

Transcript

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0:00.0

BBC Sounds, Music, Radio, podcasts.

0:05.7

Hello, I'm Jonathan Joseph's BBC business reporter,

0:09.3

and this is the interview from the BBC World Service,

0:12.4

the best conversations coming out of the BBC,

0:15.2

people shaping our world from all over the world.

0:19.1

If you're not a little bit afraid, then you're not paying attention.

0:23.8

We have never seen a people so united.

0:27.3

Do not make that boat crossing. Do not make that journey.

0:30.0

Being born in America, feeling American, having people treat me like I'm not.

0:34.1

We're more popular than populism.

0:37.3

For this interview, I spoke to Vincent

0:39.5

Clerk, the chief executive of Mursk. He's head of the world's second largest shipping company

0:44.6

at a time of war in the Middle East. The conflict between Iran and the United States and Israel

0:50.2

has led to the closure of the vital strait of Hormuz. Before the war, about a fifth of global

0:56.0

oil supplies travelled through the route. Cargo ships are being attacked and seafarers killed.

1:02.4

At the same time, the world's biggest shipping lines are also avoiding passage through another

1:07.1

crucial Middle Eastern waterway because of linked security threats.

1:17.9

The passage through the Red Sea and Suez Canal carried about 12% of all global trade when it was trouble-free.

1:24.6

The economic shockwaves all this is causing have governments around the world scrambling to limit the damage.

1:29.0

As the war continues, you're going to hear about the disruption to global trade, supply chains and energy flows, as well as proposals from governments, including the United

1:34.6

States and France, to provide naval escorts to open the waterways again.

1:39.0

If this is extremely effective, and the US and other nations are willing to commit assets

...

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