The Wall Street Journal | Costas Paris�and Joanne Chiu: It will be months before new�U.S. sanctions against Iran�take hold, but global shipping operators are already pulling back from the big oil-exporting nation.


The world�s two biggest shipping lines, Denmark�s Maersk Line and Swiss-based Mediterranean Shipping Co., said they were winding down general cargo shipments, while tanker owners said they plan to move their vessels to other oil-producing countries in the Middle East or West Africa.

Even though the U.S. is alone in imposing the new sanctions, �I don�t think�any shipping line that operates globally�will be able to do business in Iran if the sanctions arrive in full force, the way they are intended,� said Soren Skou, Maersk�s chief executive.

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