Container carriers’ operating margins accelerated at a greater speed in the third quarter, with the average ratio booked by the ten leading lines topping an impressive 56%.
It compares to an average operating margin of just 3.7% in the same period two years earlier.
Following the release of Q3 results, the ten leading container carriers reporting public numbers could be on track to log operating profits of $115-120bn for their shipping activities in 2021, more than 6x the amount in 2020.
The prediction is based on estimated Q4 earnings derived from company forecasts together with Alphaliner estimates. The 10 lines have already generated nearly $80 bn EBIT in Q1-Q3, while the recent emergence of the Omicron variant could push these forecasts even higher.
Source: Alphaliner
