Norway shipping group maintains Hormuz transit pause

The disruption in the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most important maritime chokepoints, has forced shipping companies to suspend sailings, reroute cargo and rely on costly workarounds to keep goods moving across the gulf.

"It is not yet clear under what conditions safe transit can be carried out. Shipowners are assessing the situation and will not resume transits until there is real security for safe passage," Hareide said.

Denmark's Maersk, one of the world's largest container vessel companies, earlier on Wednesday said the ceasefire announcement did not yet provide enough certainty to resume normal operations in the area.

French President Emmanuel Macron said about 15 countries were planning to facilitate the resumption of traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.

(Reporting by Jesus Calero, editing by Terje Solsvik)