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Accounts just filed at Companies House by three big container hauliers paint a mixed picture across the sector. Maersk-owned Roadways Container Logistics is the most indebted of the three. Although its accounts for the year to 31 December 2007 show a headline improvement on a huge loss of £23.6m in 2006, they have been boosted by income from a depot sell-off to the tune of £12m, leading to pre-tax profit of £1.5m. Without this additional income, the firm would have shown a pre-tax loss of £10.9m  for the year.

Indeed, the directors' report notes: "The company ended the year with net liabilities of £1,438,000. However, the company retains the support of its parent undertaking..." Parent company Maersk, says the report, will continue the support for the next 12 months and will not ask for repayment of the funds during that period. Roadways already owes £25m to Maersk as part of the funding for its new Birch Coppice rail freight terminal, which needs to be paid off by 2010. Interest is charged on the loan and the debt burden could become harder to deal with if interest rates remain high.

Despite this, its directors' report says that it is "uniquely positioned" to "service the transport requirements of major shipping lines and freight forwarders". It says it hopes to match the best performing firms in the sector. MT was unable to contact Roadways as it went to press.