Recently, Maersk (Maersk, stock code: MAERSK) President Vincent Kleick said that the global container shipping market is facing the challenge of overcapacity, and the rates paid by customers have fallen to unsustainable levels。

Last month, Maersk had warned that excess capacity in container shipping would affect profits this year despite a historic profit after the outbreak.。"Since the good years of 2021 and 2022, freight rates have fallen significantly and have actually fallen to unsustainable levels.。"

Meanwhile, German rival Hapag-Lloyd (Hapag-Lloyd) also said that after an 83% drop in net profit, the global container ship glut and the Red Sea crisis forced the company to cut costs in 2024, including adjusting routes and ports.。

Despite the Red Sea ship attacks late last year and early this year, which forced ships to sail around Africa and once pushed up container rates, it has now fallen back to as available capacity still exceeds demand.

Kleck revealed that new container ships added last year have increased global capacity by 9% and are expected to increase by another 11% this year and a further 7% in 2025.。In contrast, Maersk's fleet size remained constant over the same period。

"Demand growth, slow sailing and ship recycling will gradually offset this excess capacity so that we can return to healthy levels of profitability."。He also noted that Maersk, which announced it would cut 10,000 jobs last year, would continue to focus on controlling costs.。

Robert Maersk Ugra, chairman of the board, said the company will remain in line with its dividend policy of paying 30 to 50 percent of its underlying net profit to shareholders。