by Lloyd's List
8 May 2025 (Lloyd's List) - MAERSK has maintained its full-year financial guidance despite growing global trade uncertainties after reporting strong first-quarter results that saw profits surge more than sevenfold.
The Danish shipping and logistics giant confirmed it still expects 2025 underlying earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation of $6bn-$9bn and ebit of $0-$3bn, even as it revised its global container market growth forecast downward to between -1% and 4%, citing “increased macroeconomic and geopolitical uncertainty”.
Maersk said growth will likely remain positive in the second quarter especially if shippers capitalise on the 90-day US tariff pause by frontloading shipments, with the second half of 2025 seeing either demand contraction risks or potential trade rebound if duties are rolled back.
The forecast comes as the container shipping sector is facing turbulence from a tariff war launched by the Trump administration, with China-US shipping routes currently bearing the brunt of the impact.
Other variables capable of altering supply-demand fundamentals range from Red Sea rerouting to new US port fees targeting China-built ships.
Maersk, nevertheless, expects the ongoing disruptions in the Red Sea to continue throughout 2025, despite the recent ceasefire deal reached between Washington and the Houthis.
For the first three months of 2025, the company reported ebit of $1.3bn, up from just $177m in the corresponding period last year, while revenue grew 7.8% to $13.3bn.
It described the results as “a good start to the year”, although they were sequentially lower than the previous quarter.
“We delivered strong results compared to the same quarter last year, driven by momentum in our operational efficiency and a global economy in good shape for the first three months,” said chief executive Vincent Clerc. “With trade tensions flaring up and uncertainty on the rise, global supply chains are once again in the spotlight.”
Performance across business segments showed improvement, with Ocean reporting an ebit of $743m due to higher rates and stable volumes.
Logistics & Services saw its ebit soar nearly threefold to $142m, while the tally for terminal operations jumped more than 30% to $394m.
Clerc emphasised that Maersk was “doubling down on the work underway on automation and cost management to remain fit for what lies ahead”, noting these efforts provide confidence in delivering results in line with previously communicated guidance.
The shipping giant expects to grow in line with the overall container market while continuing to implement its new east-west network launched in February, which aims to improve reliability and cost efficiency once fully operational.
