The Centro Studi Fedespedi has published the eleventh edition of the report “Shipping companies: an economic-financial analysis”, which examines the economic-financial performance of the main global cargo shipping companies. The analysis reviews the 2025 financial statements of 10 companies and includes a focus on the results of the first quarter of 2026.
In 2025, global container traffic continued to grow, reaching 193 million TEUs handled compared to 184.3 million the previous year; the trend continued in the first quarter of 2026, with over 47 million TEUs and a 4.4% increase over the same period in 2025. Despite increasing volumes, the companies’ accounts show a downsizing compared to the exceptional 2024 fiscal year: in 2025 all the companies analyzed recorded declining revenues, with changes ranging from -2% to -26.6%.
The trend continued in the first months of 2026, with revenues and margins further decreasing: the excess supply of cargo space, the drop in freight rates, the increase in fuel costs, and tensions in the Middle East, which continue to affect routes and sailing times, weigh heavily. On the other hand, punctuality improved: in the first five months of the year, the share of ships arriving on time remained above 60%, with the sole exception of February (58.3%).
«Volumes continue to grow, but the excess available capacity and the drop in freight rates are reducing the companies’ profit margins, bringing them back to more physiological levels – said Fedespedi president Alessandro Pitto -. In a scenario conditioned by the reconfiguration of routes, from the Suez Canal to the Strait of Hormuz, the adaptability of supply chains becomes a decisive competitive factor again.»
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