Mixed results for Asian container lines

LEADING Asian carriers have mostly recorded dire first-half results but are hoping the second quarter recovery trend has put them on track for strong full-year results.

Evergreen Marine Corporation reported a 2.4% revenue decline in 1H 2026 to TWD 191.7 billion (USD 6.02 billion), while operating profit dove sharply to 35.3% to TWD 28.3 billion (USD 888 million) and net profit further, by 36.1%, to TWD 25.0 billion (USD 786 million).

Evergreen’s second quarter also showed mostly falls year-on year with revenue and operating profit down but net profit up. 
Taiwan’s No 2 Yang Ming Line posted revenue of around TWD 84.6 billion (USD 2.66 billion) for 1H 2026, up 0.5% year-on-year.

Operating profit fell 42%, however, to around TWD 6.43 billion (USD 202 million), while net profit declined by 18% to around TWD 7.31 billion (USD 230 million).

There was considerable improvement in Q2, with operating profit rising to around TWD 5.70 billion (USD 179 million) from USD 163 million a year earlier despite a fall in revenue. YML’s net profit almost tripled to around TWD 5.83 billion (USD 183 million) from USD 68 million.

In South Korea, HMM had a cheerier first half. Revenue from container operations increased by 9% in Korean won to KRW 5.07 trillion (USD 3.27 billion), on increased carryings of 6% to 2.04 million TEU. Segment operating profit, however, fell by a substantial 50% to KRW 384 billion (USD 247 million). Consolidated net profit declined by 37% year-on-year to KRW 765 billion (USD 493 million).

In Q2 2026 revenue was up slightly y-o-y but HMM’s operating profit was down (USD 125 million v USD 170 million, as was net profit (USD 260 million v. USD 391 million).

Carriers have common concerns for the remainder of 2026, citing geopolitical instability, the effect of Middle East conflict on bunker prices, peak-season congestion in Asia and Europe, and the ever-changing tariff regime in the USA.