Carrier margins fall back in Q4 but annual results shine

by Editor

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Average operating margins for the leading container carriers (the nine largest companies reporting Earnings before Interest and Tax or EBIT) fell back to 25.4% in the last quarter of 2024.

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It follows a sharp decline in rates in the final two months of the year, brought on by a mix of excess shipping capacity, uncertainty over US political developments and potential port strikes, and seasonal off-peak conditions.

As a result, the average return for the carriers dropped from 38.4% in the third quarter, which was to mark the peak of the current cycle.

Despite this, margins remain at historically firm levels. The container shipping industry has recorded an average margin of 13.8% over the past decade including the stellar COVID years of 2021 and 2022. Meanwhile, as flagged by Alphaliner in December, 2024 will conclude as the third most profitable year in container shipping history.

Collective operating profits for the carriers analysed were an estimated $32.6bn for 2024 – still well below the more than $100bn generated in both 2021 and 2022, but far in excess of other years.

Source: Alphaliner

Carrier margins fall back in Q4 but annual results shine

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Editor

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