Hapag-Lloyd is looking significantly more favorably at the current year.
The Hamburg shipping line has raised its earnings forecast for 2026. Hapag-Lloyd now expects EBITDA of 2.7 to 3.7 billion USD. Previously, the range was 1.1 to 3.1 billion USD.
EBIT also looks better. Instead of a possible loss of up to 1.5 billion USD, Hapag-Lloyd now expects EBIT between 0.1 and 1.1 billion USD.
The simple reason: Demand is stronger than expected and spot freight rates have developed more favorably.
For freight forwarders, this comes as no surprise. Anyone who has booked containers from Asia in recent weeks has noticed: The market is significantly firmer. Space is not easy to come by everywhere, and shipping lines have pushed rates upward.
Nevertheless, the matter is not without risk. Hapag-Lloyd itself states that the forecast remains uncertain due to volatile freight rates and geopolitical issues.