"There is enough fuel in the United States, South America and Europe, but stocks in Asia depend on what comes out of the Strait of Hormuz, so they are declining," Vincent Clerc, the CEO of the world's second-largest shipping line, was quoted as saying by French newspaper Le Monde.

"If nothing is done, we risk finding ourselves, in Asia or the Middle East, with supply points that are dry or running out of fuel" for the ships, he added.

The war has effectively closed off the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial trade route, and disruptions in fuel supply have a direct impact on freight rates.

Because of the closure, dozens of Maersk vessels are stuck in alternative ports, forcing the company to truck containers to their final destination or find other solutions, the executive added.

"This is a cost that we cannot absorb, and that we must pass on in order to protect the integrity of the service."

He said the shipping company, which operates around 700 vessels, has rerouted ships to Europe "where there is strong demand" via the Mediterranean and the Suez Canal.

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A.P. MOELLER-MAERSK