Maersk says two of its vessels exited Gulf safely

COPENHAGEN, June 25 (Reuters) - Shipping group Maersk said on Thursday the Maersk Baltimore and a time-chartered vessel had successfully transited the Strait of Hormuz and exited the Gulf overnight.

"The transits were completed in close coordination with our security partners and followed thorough security assessments," Maersk said in a statement.

The war in Iran that began on February 28 has disrupted travel and cargo across the wider Middle East, and many vessels, including those belonging to Maersk, as well as competitors Hapag-Lloyd and CMA CGM, have been unable to enter or leave the Gulf.

Of three vessels remaining in the Gulf, Maersk said it would pursue one additional Hormuz transit at a later stage, with the remaining two to be deployed on intra-Gulf services.

Of 47,000 containers Maersk had bound for the Gulf region at the onset of the conflict, 44,000 have now been delivered, with 3,000 still pending final delivery, according to Maersk.

(Reporting by Stine Jacobsen and Anna Ringstrom, editing by Essi Lehto)