COSCO concluded the 1H 2024 interim reports for the publicly listed carriers with its EBIT earnings of $566m for its container shipping business for a margin of 25%, down from the 32% margin in the same quarter last year due mainly to higher unit costs during 2Q 2023. Average freight rates were 13% higher for COSCO against the CCFI’s 53% gain, while container volumes increased marginally by just 1%. Aggregated revenues of the 12 main listed carriers increased by 10% YoY while volume increased 8
Maersk continues to underperform the rest of the market with the lowest EBIT earnings margins in the 2nd quarter of 2024 compared to all of its main publicly listed peers. Maersk’s Ocean shipping segment recorded EBIT margins of just 5.6% for the quarter compared to an average margin of 21.3% posted by 8 of its main rivals with only COSCO and OOCL yet to report their earnings figures. It marks the 3rd consecutive quarter that Maersk was placed at the bottom of the earnings league table, with i
Container carriers’ total revenue rose by more than 100% in July compared to a year ago, with the 3 main publicly listed Taiwanese carriers providing a glimpse of the bumper earnings that carriers are projected to earn in the 3rd quarter. Evergreen Marine, Yang Ming and Wan Hai’s July revenue figures increased by 132%, 122% and 144% respectively YoY, mirroring the average CCFI increase of 142% over the same period. Despite the recent spot freight rate correction with the SCFI dropping by 12.9%
Maersk's liner business turned around in 2Q 2024 after three quarters of negative EBIT but barely got much benefits from the soaring spot freight rates during the 2Q 2024. Average freight rates earned by Maersk up only 1% YoY and 7% QoQ against CCFI's 53% YoY and 12% QoQ. Maersk's liner EBITDA margin at 16.8%, much lower than CMA CGM's 23.9% and ONE's 28.9% in 2Q 2024. So despite of the Maersk's larger fleet, Maersk's EBITDA is 35% below that of CMA CGM's in 2Q 2024. All these three liners that
ONE EBIT nearly doubled YoY and tripled QoQ in 2Q 2024 on reduction of unit costs despite sub-market freight rates hike achieved. ONE’s unit revenue (total revenue over total volume) was up only 1% YoY and 4% QoQ against CCFI’s 53% YoY and 12 % QoQ. ONE lifted FY2024 earning guidance from $1.0bn to $2.7bn, with earnings expected to nearly double QoQ to $1.5bn in 2Q FY2024 (Jul-Sep) before dropping in 2H FY2024 by 78% HoH.
CMA CGM’s 2Q 2024 earnings surprisingly dropped YoY with average freight rates dropping by 7% YoY and 1% QoQ despite the 53% YoY increase in the CCFI. CMA CGM’s higher contract rate exposure that were signed at substantially lower levels than current spot rates contributed to the disappointing earnings. CMA CGM’s liner revenue dropped 1% YoY in 2Q 2024, lagging behind all other carriers that have reported revenue growth so far, with OOCL’s revenue rising by 14% YoY while the 3 main Taiwan carri
OOCL reported its 2Q operational update on 15 July. OOIL 2Q 2024 total revenue recorded 14% YoY and QoQ gains compared to the Taiwanese’s 47% YoY and 20% QoQ growth. Relative to the Taiwanese liners, OOIL has much higher mix in short haul Intra-Asia, Oceania and Transatlantic trades, which have not seen the same quantum of freight rates hike compared to the long-haul trades during 2Q 2024.
Taiwanese liners reported their June revenue, which in aggregate were up 32% MoM and 78% YoY. On quarterly basis, these liners' top line were up 20% or $1b QoQ to over $6bn in aggregate. The last time these liners together earned over $6bn in revenue were back in 4Q 2022. The combined EBIT for these 3 liners were just $800mn in 1Q 2024. The $1bn QoQ jump in revenue, driven mainly by the spot freight rates uptick, may have doubled these liners' EBIT in our estimates.
Zim reported its first profitable quarter since 2022 with 1Q 2024 net profits reaching $90.2m and EBIT at $167m for an EBIT margin of 11%. Zim’s full year EBIT guidance was raised to between $0 to $400m from its previous projection of between -$300m to $300m although management cited continued market uncertainty in the second half for the wide range. Zim’s total liftings increased by 10% to reach 846,000 teu with Transpacific volumes rising by 27% while Asia-Med volumes dropped by 40%. Transp
EBIT turned around in 1Q 2024 from 4Q 2023 losses on sequentially higher freight rates. Management lifted lower end of the EBIT guidance from negative $1bn to breakeven while keeping the upper end of the guidance unchanged at $1bn.