In April 2026, COSCO SHIPPING Holdings released its first-quarter report for 2026.

During the first quarter of 2026, influenced by multiple factors including conflicts in the Middle East, the global shipping industry faced significant challenges in terms of safety and stability, with continued market volatility. In the face of these rapidly changing external conditions, COSCO SHIPPING Holdings strengthened its market analysis, dynamically optimized its global network layout and customer services, and innovatively promoted digital and green transformations. By enhancing its global service capabilities and operational resilience through its own developmental certainty, the company successfully maintained steady performance.

The first quarter saw a smooth start. During this period, the company achieved an operating revenue of  $7.19 billion, an Earnings Before Interest and Taxes (EBIT) of $1.22 billion, a net profit of $956 million, and a net profit attributable to shareholders of the listed company of $816 million, representing a 54.72% increase compared to the fourth quarter of the previous year.

Core business volumes grew steadily. During the reporting period, the container shipping business completed a cargo throughput of 6.9156 million TEUs (Twenty-foot Equivalent Units), a year-on-year increase of 6.70%; the terminal business achieved a total throughput of 38.9172 million TEUs, a year-on-year increase of 8.86%.

The financial position remained sound. As of March 31, 2026, the company's asset-liability ratio further decreased to 40.90%; total equity attributable to shareholders of the listed company reached $32.73 billion, an increase of 1.47% from the end of the previous year; the net cash flow from operating activities was $1.55 billion, and the balance of cash and cash equivalents reached $20.79 billion.

Since 2026, COSCO SHIPPING Holdings has continuously promoted the integrated development of "container shipping + ports + related logistics," solidifying the foundation of its core shipping business, enhancing full-chain service capabilities, and accelerating digital and green transformations. The company is committed to building a stable, efficient, resilient, and highly risk-resistant global supply chain network.

Expanding Global Network Channels and Providing Stable, Reliable Services

COSCO SHIPPING Holdings is unswervingly strengthening its core business competitiveness by densifying its global shipping route network, effectively enhancing its core function in serving global supply chain stability and its level of customer service. During the reporting period, the company closely followed global economic, trade, and cargo flow trends. While consolidating and enhancing its advantages in the Chinese market, it deeply explored incremental markets represented by Southeast Asia, upgraded the direct route from Yangpu to Haiphong, and expanded service routes from Southeast Asia to the US Northwest and Canada, striving to build a number of highly competitive, high-quality, and widely recognized brand routes. The company strengthened its stable cooperation with the Ocean Alliance and meticulously developed the "DAY10" product. Through 42 routes, over 500 sets of direct port-to-port services, and comprehensive land-sea intermodal guarantees, it provided customers with more stable services, higher-quality products, and more diverse options, helping to strengthen the resilience of global industrial and supply chains, and winning market recognition. During the reporting period, cargo volumes on the Asia-Europe, Intra-Asia, and Mainland China routes increased by 14.23%, 6.07%, and 14.92% year-on-year, respectively.

Focusing on Long-term Development Concepts and Optimizing Fleet Structure

To better cope with changes in global cargo flow structures, frequent supply chain disruptions, and increasingly stringent green environmental requirements, COSCO SHIPPING Holdings steadily promoted the optimization and upgrading of its fleet structure. Following the order of 12 LNG dual-fuel container ships of 18,000 TEU and 6 new wide-body ships of 3,000 TEU at the beginning of the year, the company announced today the order of an additional 12 LNG dual-fuel container ships of 13,600 TEU. At the same time, by chartering in a series of new high-reefer plug-in ships and new wide-body feeder ships, it further perfected its multi-level capacity allocation system. After these ships are put into service, the company will consolidate its competitive advantages on traditional Europe-America trunk routes and actively densify the feeder networks of core hub ports such as Piraeus in Greece, Chancay in Peru, and Yangpu in Hainan, strengthening the connection between trunk and feeder lines and regional connectivity. This will provide more stable and reliable long-term capacity resource guarantees for exploring emerging and regional markets. To date, the company's self-operated vessels and vessels on order total approximately 4.84 million TEUs, laying the foundation for solidifying its position in the industry's first tier.

Closely Aligning with Core Customer Needs and Enhancing Full-chain Service Capabilities

Focusing on customers' needs for efficient, resilient, and safe full-chain transportation, COSCO SHIPPING Holdings accelerated the construction of comprehensive capabilities in overseas regions, promoted the full-chain integration of shipping resources and supply chain business resources, and built a full-chain service system covering sea freight, land transportation, warehousing, and final delivery, significantly improving delivery efficiency and transportation controllability. During the reporting period, relying on cross-border coordination, the company established a "Trans-Pacific Land Bridge" connecting North America and the five Central Asian countries, completing a precise door-to-door delivery of over 20,000 kilometers with "one entrustment, one bill to the end" for manufacturing clients. With professional and efficient logistics services, stable and reliable supply chain guarantees, and continuously innovative solutions, the company won multiple awards from clients, such as "Excellent Strategic Partner" and "Best Delivery," and its full-chain services received widespread market recognition. During the reporting period, the digital supply chain business grew steadily against the trend, and the container shipping business segment achieved a supply chain revenue (excluding sea freight) of $1.60 billion, a year-on-year increase of 6.25%.

Strengthening Digital and Green Empowerment and Solidifying the Foundation of Operational Services

Relying on the dual-wheel drive of digital intelligence and green low-carbon initiatives, COSCO SHIPPING Holdings accelerated the upgrading of its business system to create new engines for development. In terms of digital intelligence, it deepened the integrated application of "AI+" technology across all business scenarios. During the reporting period, AI-powered smart documentation and AI-enabled container repair quality inspection were successively launched, and the upgrading of new smart booking and smart customer service systems steadily progressed, continuously improving operational efficiency and service response capabilities. In terms of green and low-carbon initiatives, as a pioneer in environmental protection, the company has ordered a total of 70 dual-fuel container ships, 7 of which are already in operation, forming a globally leading green and low-carbon capacity matrix. Additionally, during the reporting period, the company successfully completed the first green methanol bunkering and simultaneous cargo handling operation at COSCO International Terminals in Hong Kong, and promoted the application of the Hi-ECO green shipping service product, further expanding its global green shipping service network.

Looking to the Future

The global container shipping market will remain complex and volatile, with intensifying geopolitical games, rising potential supply chain risks, and constant fluctuations in the supply and demand pattern of the container shipping market. Against this backdrop, cargo owners' demand for supply chain stability and full-chain controllability continues to grow. Regional and emerging markets still hold opportunities, and the deep application of digitalization and artificial intelligence will become an important opportunity for the transformation, upgrading, and shaping of future competitive advantages in the shipping and logistics industry.

In response, COSCO SHIPPING Holdings will revolve around its positioning as a "global digital supply chain operation and investment platform centered on container shipping." Guided by customer service needs, it will maintain strategic focus, firmly pursue the development directions of globalization, scaling, full-chain integration, digital intelligence, green initiatives, and convergence. It will concentrate on strengthening operational risk prevention capabilities, lean cost control capabilities, product quality, and delivery assurance capabilities, effectively countering external uncertainties with its own developmental certainty, striving to provide customers with higher-quality services and continuously creating value for shareholders.