Having been in business for less than two years, this Dubai-based shipping company plans to exit the market.

Release time:

2025-10-23

According to the latest reports from foreign media, CStar Line, headquartered in the United Arab Emirates, and its subsidiary STF Shipping are gradually winding down their operations and have already stopped accepting new bookings.

According to reports, both companies are facing severe financial difficulties, including unpaid port fees totaling approximately 862 million rubles (US$10.9 million) owed to Russia’s Vostochny Port Handling Company. As early as August of this year, CStar Line had already suspended one Asia-Europe route and three Asia-to-Middle East routes. Based on these signs, analysts predict that these two container shipping companies are highly likely to cease operations.

According to several sources in the shipping market, Login NMP, the Russian agent for these two carriers, has already stopped accepting new shipping requests. Containers that have already been accepted for shipment will be delivered to their destinations; however, after this point, the company will begin relocating its vessels to the terminal.

Meanwhile, market participants suspect that the operator’s financial problems are behind the service suspension. A possible reason is the difficulty in settling accounts with its largest customer, the Delo Group. However, the company’s press office did not respond to questions on this matter, merely stating, “We will not comment on the activities of other companies.”

CStar Line is a container shipping company based in Dubai that became one of the leaders in the Russian shipping market in 2023. The company is committed to providing dry-cargo and refrigerated freight services using state-of-the-art equipment, offering regular port-to-port services between the Far East, India, the Middle East, the Mediterranean, the Black Sea, and the Baltic Sea. Additionally, it provides integrated multimodal transportation solutions.

STF Shipping was registered and established in Hong Kong, with its headquarters located in Shanghai. It has offices in Ningbo, Seoul, Vladivostok, and Nakhodka. In October 2024, STF Shipping made a striking debut, operating six container vessels and launching five China-Russia Far East routes. Its route network is primarily focused on shipping from East Asia to Russia’s Far East region, covering ports including Dalian, Tianjin, Rizhao, Ningbo, Yantian, Nansha, Xiamen, and Shanghai in China; Busan in South Korea; and Vostochny Port in Russia.

It is reported that in August, CStar Line had already reduced its capacity by suspending one Asia-Europe route and three Asia-Middle East routes. Market analysts predict that the commercial operations of these two liner companies could come to a halt.

Currently, shipping rates in the market continue to face downward pressure. Coupled with shrinking demand and escalating geopolitical risks, regional route operators are being hit hardest. Some small- and medium-sized shipping companies may soon face an existential crisis...

Source: Compiled from foreign media outlets infranews, Weiyun.com, and China Shipping Weekly.

Editor: Yu Li

Proofreading: Zeng Xiong

Reviewed by: Zhang Weitian

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