Ever Wondered How Much Money Shipping Lines Make?

The latest financial results from major container shipping lines show billions of dollars are still being made across the industry, but profits are becoming much harder to maintain as freight rates soften and global disruption continues.

Pacific International Lines (PIL) reported a massive US$1.04 billion profit for FY2025, while Ocean Network Express (ONE) saw profits collapse from around US$4.24 billion in FY2024 to approximately US$338 million in FY2025.

Meanwhile, Evergreen reported first-quarter revenue of TW$65.6 billion despite weaker freight rates, while OOCL generated US$2.14 billion in Q1 liner revenue, even as earnings continued to normalise.

The results highlight how dramatically the shipping market has shifted over the past two years. During the pandemic boom, soaring freight rates delivered record profits for carriers. Now, even though cargo volumes remain relatively steady, lower freight rates, rising operating costs and geopolitical disruption are putting increasing pressure on earnings.

In simple terms, moving more containers no longer guarantees bigger profits.

Freight rates, vessel utilisation, trade lane exposure and disruption costs are now playing a much bigger role in determining which carriers perform well and which ones struggle.

For importers and exporters, it’s another reminder that shipping markets remain highly volatile, even as global supply chains begin returning to more normal operating conditions.