The major container shipping lines are clearly feeling the pressure of a weaker market. Declining freight rates, rising costs, and disruptions in the Middle East are impacting their results.
Hapag-Lloyd recorded a group loss of approximately 219 million euros in the first quarter of 2026. In the same quarter of the previous year, the shipping line had achieved a profit of around 446 million euros. The average freight rate fell by 9.5 percent to 1,330 USD per TEU.
Maersk also had challenges in its core ocean freight business. The Ocean segment reported an operational loss of 192 million USD. However, the overall Maersk group remained barely profitable thanks to logistics and terminals, posting a net profit of 100 million USD.
CMA CGM fared better during the quarter. The French group achieved a net profit of 250 million USD. While this was significantly less than the 1.12 billion USD from the previous year, the group remained clearly in the black.
The comparison shows: It is becoming increasingly difficult to make money with classic container shipping alone. Logistics, terminals, and other business areas are becoming increasingly important for the major shipping lines.