Russia, Iran, Belarus: Hapag-Lloyd imposes a new clause on all its cargo passing through Morocco

The German shipping giant has amended its standard clause concerning international sanctions. It will be automatically incorporated into bills of lading and other transport documents whenever the port of loading, the port of discharge or both are located in Morocco.

The bill of lading serves simultaneously as the transport contract, the receipt for the goods and the document establishing ownership of them. The addition of this clause therefore requires companies using Hapag-Lloyd in Morocco to pay particular attention to the origin, destination and commercial route of their cargo.

The measure prohibits any direct or indirect involvement in the transport, export, re-export or import of goods falling within the scope of the restrictions targeting Russia, Belarus or Iran, reports Container News.

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This amendment comes as certain flows transiting through Morocco are already subject to increased scrutiny. Record volumes of Moroccan diesel delivered to Spain have notably revived questions about the possible presence of Russian fuel in certain cargoes, although no public investigation has so far demonstrated an organized triangulation scheme.

Morocco among 36 markets subject to the automatic clause

The kingdom is among the 36 countries in which Hapag-Lloyd will automatically impose this clause. The list also includes major commercial and maritime hubs such as Germany, the Netherlands, China, India, Singapore, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

For Moroccan exporters and importers, the change mainly concerns traceability. Goods with no apparent direct connection to the three targeted countries may also be affected if their origin, final destination, re-export or one of the companies involved in the operation falls within the scope of European, American or British sanctions.

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The stakes are high for Morocco, whose foreign trade largely passes by sea. Tanger Med handled more than 11.1 million containers in 2025 and now ranks 16th worldwide, ahead of Los Angeles. This position as an international hub multiplies transshipment operations and makes the verification of commercial chains particularly sensitive.

The new clause does not block Moroccan maritime trade. It does, however, enable Hapag-Lloyd to incorporate directly into its contracts the restrictions applicable to cargo linked to Russia, Iran and Belarus, with immediate effect for its clients using the kingdom’s ports.