Comment / Mærsk et al: so much silver lining you can barely see the clouds

Photo 261308842 © Pascal Deloche | Dreamstime.com

With the Red Sea crisis having effectively shielded the container shipping industry from a huge swing into overcapacity and the prospect of loss-making freight rates, one question stands out: will carriers be willing to change their guidance on 2024 earnings?

After all, rival ONE’s 2023 annual report, out today, which also includes the first quarter of calendar 2024, showed that the Red Sea crisis has become a real earnings boost for carriers, with the Singapore-headquartered line now forecasting a $1bn Ebit ...