News / Container lines are bracing themselves for a tough final quarter as margins sink

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Following a slippage in operating profits in Q2 this year, the third-quarter earnings of ocean carriers are coming under closer scrutiny after the failure of July and August general rate increases and a lukewarm start for September GRIs.

According to Alphaliner’s analysis of the first-half operating profits of the 16 deepsea container lines that publish financial results, the cumulative operating margin declined to 2.4% in the second three months of the year, from 5.2% in Q1.

Although operating performance, at 3.9%, was ...