CMA CGM has halted all reefer and hazardous cargo bookings to Libya after the closure of the country's ports, reported London's International Freighting Weekly.

"CMA CGM ships' calls at Libyan ports, Benghazi, Misurata, Khoms and Tripoli are temporarily suspended," said the company in a statement.

While the French carrier has not stopped accepting general freight bookings, it warned: "Under such circumstances, the group is not in a position to guarantee transit times to Libya," said a company statement.

"For all cargo destined for Libya - and while the Libyan ports remain closed - the group has decided to use its storage capacity in Malta," a spokeswoman said.

Malta is only 12 hours away from Libya. This change allows the carrier to resume cargo delivery when the situation improves.

If the ports remained closed in Libya, the company said it would tranship cargo to Gioia Tauro in Italy and it wait for the reopening.

CMA CGM, represented by a third party agent OSCL in Libya, has set up an emergency response team to monitor the situation round the clock.