Following a challenging 2025, the container shipping industry is exhibiting strong signs of recovery in 2026‑Q2, characterized by substantial Y/Y increases in combined revenues, operating profits, and global transported cargo volumes.
The 2026‑Q2 financial data underscores a significant positive turnaround in industry profitability. The reporting shipping lines generated a combined 2026‑Q2 revenue of USD 43.4 billion, which marks a notable 15.9% increase Y/Y. Furthermore, the eight carriers that have published their earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) reported a combined EBIT of USD 2.69 billion, a 58.2% increase compared to the USD 1.70 billion these same shipping lines posted collectively in 2025‑Q2.
A closer examination of the global transported volumes reveals that this financial rebound is actively supported by an expansion in overall TEUs transported. As shown in Figure 1, all six of the shipping lines that have so far reported on their volume figures experienced positive Y/Y growth in 2026‑Q2. Figure 1 is missing 2026‑Q2 figures for COSCO, HMM, and Yang Ming, as these shipping lines have not yet published these figures. (....)