Copenhagen: Danish shipping giant Maersk has raised its 2025 earnings outlook, attributing the change to strong demand outside the United States, despite the tariff challenges posed by President Donald Trump's policies. Maersk now forecasts a core profit between $8 billion and $9.5 billion for the year, a significant uptick from its previous estimate of $6 billion to $9 billion.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Maersk's chief executive, Vincent Clerc, emphasized the company's adaptability amidst market fluctuations and global trade uncertainties. "Even with market volatility and historical uncertainty in global trade, demand remained resilient, and we've continued to respond with speed and flexibility," Clerc mentioned in the earnings statement.
Nonetheless, Maersk has issued a warning regarding the uncertain outlook for global container demand for the rest of the year. This uncertainty is driven by the rapidly changing tariff landscape and significant policy unpredictability in the US. The company expects global demand growth to remain between two percent and four percent for the full year, provided no major disruptions occur.
Maersk's second-quarter performance saw a 26.5 percent decrease in net profit, reaching $586 million. However, the company's earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) experienced an increase, climbing to $2.3 billion compared to $2.1 billion from the previous year. Revenue also saw a rise of three percent, totaling $13.1 billion.
Clerc highlighted the impact of Maersk's new East-West network on its operational success. "Our new East-West network is raising the bar on reliability and setting new industry standards. It has been a key driver of increased volumes and solid delivery of our Ocean business," he stated.