WHILE COSCO Shipping Holdings (CSH) could not escape 2025’s strained market conditions the company has proclaimed satisfaction with its strategic focus, optimisation of resource allocation, development of new businesses, and operational resilience.
CSH on Friday [20 March] reported net profit attributable to shareholders of approximately RMB 30.87 billion (USD 4.47 billion), down 37%. Operating revenue of RMB 219.50 billion was down 6.1%. It realised an EBIT of RMB 45.01 billion; and net profit of the company amounted to approximately RMB 35.23 billion.
During the reporting period, the container shipping business segment handled shipping volume of 27.43 million TEU, representing an increase of 5.76% year-on-year, and the container shipping business generated revenue of RMB 210.73 billion (down 6.7%) with a gross profit margin of 19.44%
Meanwhile, the container terminal business segment handled a total throughput of 153 million TEU, representing an increase of 6.22% year-on-year. Of which, the throughput of the terminals controlled by the company was 33.25 million TEU, representing an increase of 1.81% year-on-year. The container terminal business generated revenue of RMB 12.04 billion with a gross profit margin of 25.91%.
CSH said it retains a sound financial position. As of the year end of 2025, the company’s gearing ratio further declined to 41.42%, representing a decrease of approximately 1.28 percentage points from a year ago. The cash and cash equivalents amounted to RMB 150.88 billion; investment and net finance income reached RMB 7.94 billion.
Looking ahead into 2026, the container shipping industry will remain complex and uncertain, CSH said.
“On the one hand, the ongoing international geopolitical tensions and the uncertain outlook for the Middle East will amplify the volatility of global supply chains. The shift of global trade landscape towards regionalization, diversification and nearshoring will gain an increasing momentum.
“On the other hand, there are growing needs of cargo owners to secure the stability of supply chain and the controllability of entire chain. They place stricter demand for partners’ global network and end-to end capabilities.
“The deepening application of digitalization and artificial intelligence will become a key driver for the transformation and upgrading of the shipping and logistics industry and the reshaping of its future competitive advantages.”
Against this backdrop, “CSH will focus on meeting global customers’ needs, it said. “In accordance with its positioning, the company will firmly advance global and large-scale development, and comprehensively promote end-to-end, digital, intelligent, green and integrative development.
“Underpinned by digital intelligence, it will optimise the end-to-end costs, develop a dynamic and lean cost management system, and take the lead to create a new ecosystem for intelligent, green and collaborative development.
“With the certainty brought by high-quality development, the company will address the uncertainties of the market environment, forge core competence for its sustainable development amidst ever-changing condition, strive to provide better services to customers, and continuously create value for shareholders.”