Maersk's container shipping operation has returned to profit in the first six months of the year. The division reported a post-tax profit of $73m (£39.8m) in the opening half of the year, compared with a loss of $219m (£119.3m) in the same period in 2007.
The results follow mixed fortunes for Maersk-owned UK transport firms last year. Roadways Container Logistics (RCL) made a pre-tax profit
of £1.5m for the 12 months to December 2007. However, the firm would have posted a pre-tax loss of £10.9m without additional income from a £12m depot sell-off.
Roadways 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. In its financial report, RCL says it retains the support of Maersk.
Meanwhile, the accounts for the year to December 2007 at Southampton-based container specialist Pentalver Transport, another Maersk subsidiary, showed a 41% rise in turnover from £44.5m to £62.9m, while pre-tax profit grew 44% to £10.7m from £7.4m the previous year.
Nils Andersen, Maersk group chief executive, says: "The container business has managed to marginally improve results at a time with difficult market conditions.
"However, the world's current economic situation mixed with high bunker
prices and new container tonnage is putting severe pressure on our container business' profitability and we expect the situation to continue for the rest of the year."
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