News / Maersk shuns better-paying spot market for long-term gain as revenue soars

Søren Skou, CEO at Maersk

Maersk has reported a net profit of $3.7bn for the second quarter and $6.5bn for the half-year, driven by “exceptional market conditions”, and expects Q3 to be even better.

But for its ocean carrier business, the emphasis is on locking-in more blue-chip shippers on multi-year contracts to ensure it extends profitability as far as possible.

The downside is that Maersk’s ocean carrier rivals appear to be enjoying better returns from a considerably more lucrative short-term market.

“The outlook for Q3 is strong and ...