China's Ministry of Transport held meetings with officials from Denmark's Maersk Group and Switzerland's Mediterranean Shipping Company regarding "international shipping operations", according to a Tuesday press release from the ministry.

The statement did not elaborate on further details regarding the meeting.

Sources told The Financial Times that authorities during the talks expressed concerns over increased freight rates and extra charges the companies imposed amid the Middle East conflict, especially since Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz, according to a Tuesday report.

The companies defended that they had to raise rates due to the added costs the war has brought upon their operations, the report said.

The companies were also both involved in the dispute over Panama's ports.