Earnings Growth Outlook ‘Bleak’ as Ocean Shipping Profits Plunge 56% in Q2

The container shipping industry faced a challenging second quarter in 2025, recording its third consecutive quarterly decline in earnings.

The industry’s net income fell to $4.4 billion, a 56% drop from the first quarter’s $9.9 billion and a 63.7% decrease from the $12 billion earned in the second quarter of 2024. This decline is attributed largely to the ongoing impacts of tariffs and shifting trade policies, particularly involving the United States, said analyst John McCown in a report.

The imposition of tariffs by the Trump administration has significantly disrupted trade flows, leading to a pronounced downtrend in inbound U.S. container volumes. This disruption is forecast to continue, with the National Retail Federation estimating a 5.6% decrease in U.S. inbound volume for the entire year of 2025 compared with 2024. As a result, the second quarter set in motion a ripple effect across the global container shipping network, particularly affecting trade lanes that connect the Asia-Pacific region with North America.

Read more in an article from American Shipper.