Wallenius Wilhelmsen suspends operations in Russia and Belarus
“The invasion of Ukraine is a tragedy. Our deepest sympathy goes out to the people of Ukraine and our thoughts are with the millions of innocent people directly affected,” says Torbjørn Wist, acting CEO and CFO at Wallenius Wilhelmsen, who suspends operations in Russia and Belarus until further notice.
“Our main concern is the safety and well-being of our employees and partners. We have employees in Russia and partners in Ukraine.”
As a global company, Wallenius Wilhelmsen adheres to international sanctions. Wist says: “We are a Norwegian company, we follow the rules and sanctions imposed by the Norwegian authorities.”
The company discontinued services into Russia on February 24, and stopped taking cargo bookings at the same time. Cargo on the water heading for Russia were re-routed to alternative ports. Future cargo bookings into the region have been delayed or are cancelled. We have now decided to formally suspend our operations until further notice.
It’s a fluid situation and it changes by the hour. Wallenius Wilhelmsen has limited direct exposure in the region, and the company continues to monitor the impact on colleagues and operations.
Financial support to the Red Cross in Ukraine
Together with the Norwegian Shipowners’ Association and other industry players, Wallenius Wilhelmsen has decided to donate financial support to the Red Cross in Ukraine. Red Cross has a well-functioning network already on the ground as they have been engaged in eastern Ukraine for the past eight years.
“There is a dire need for help. The prime focus is securing that hospitals and other healthcare services remain functional, and that basic infrastructure such as water, electricity and heating are available to the extent possible,” says Wist