Shipping Giant Maersk Maintains Guidance Despite Rising Costs From Middle East Conflict

By Dominic Chopping

A.P. Moller-Maersk maintained its full-year guidance as demand for container shipping remains strong, but cautioned that the Middle East conflict will increase costs due to service disruptions and higher fuel prices.

The Danish shipping giant said the conflict weighed on demand growth in the region toward the end of the quarter, but the impact is yet to show up in its financials as it works to recover the higher costs.

The update is the company's first since the outbreak of the Middle East conflict at the end of February. Since then, shipping in the area has been crippled. Container-shipping operators have suspended services in and around the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman, and are re-routing vessels to avoid the Red Sea and Suez Canal.

"After the recent tariffs on U.S. imports, the conflict represents another wake-up call to deploy new tools to make supply chains more resilient and develop new strategies to mitigate future disruptions," the company said.

The company's main shipping business swung to a first-quarter loss as higher volumes were offset by lower freight rates. The unit reported a loss before interest and taxes of $192 million from a profit of $743 million a year earlier.

Write to Dominic Chopping at dominic.chopping@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

May 07, 2026 02:57 ET (06:57 GMT)