HAMBURG (dpa-AFX) - Germany's largest container shipping company by transport volume, Hapag-Lloyd, has reported a decline in profits for the 2025 fiscal year, due in part to falling prices. This is according to preliminary business figures released by the Hamburg-based company.
Earnings before interest and taxes (Ebit) provisionally stood at one billion euros, placing it at the upper end of the company's most recent adjusted forecast. In 2024, this figure had been 2.6 billion euros.
More Containers Transported
In addition to falling prices, known as freight rates, higher costs also weighed on the company. Among other factors, the alliance with shipping company Maersk led to initial expenses. The Gemini Alliance has been in place since February 2025.
The volume of transported containers provisionally increased from 12.5 to 13.5 million standard containers. The company attributed this growth to the expansion of global trade and the Gemini Alliance. Revenue provisionally fell by 0.5 billion euros to 18.6 billion euros due to the drop in prices.
The preliminary figures do not include the net result. Hapag-Lloyd is set to publish its annual report and audited figures, as previously announced, on March 26.
Hapag-Lloyd Ventures Return to Red Sea
At the beginning of the month, Hapag-Lloyd announced that it would resume service through the Red Sea after more than two years. Ships are operating under the protection of naval units. The routes had originally been suspended due to attacks by the Houthi militia.
Hapag-Lloyd operates a fleet of more than 300 container ships. In the liner shipping segment, the company employs approximately 14,000 people. It is also involved in more than 20 container terminals, where over 3,000 employees work in the associated segment./lkm/DP/jha
