Global container shipping companies are preparing for lower profits in 2026, according to Bloomberg. The potential reopening of the Red Sea shipping route is expected to put downward pressure on freight rates, worsening existing oversupply problems and intensifying difficulties in trade.
Read also: Red Sea Reopening Threatens Shipping Profits as Overcapacity Pressures Mount
Denmark’s A.P. Moller-Maersk A/S, Germany’s Hapag-Lloyd AG, Japan’s Nippon Yusen KK, and Chinese liners Orient Overseas International Ltd. and Cosco Shipping Holdings Co. are all anticipated to report weaker earnings in 2026. This follows an already challenging 2025 for the industry, which was characterized by tariff turmoil.