Container shipping giant Maersk reported second-quarter EBITDA of US$3 billion, well above analyst forecasts of US$2.12 billion, and raised its full-year earnings guidance for the second time this year, Reuters reports. The result reflects strong demand in Asia and elevated freight rates driven by geopolitical disruptions, including the US-Iran war and Houthi attacks in the Red Sea that forced ships to take longer routes around Africa's Cape of Good Hope.

Maersk, the world's second-largest container shipper, expects global container market growth of around 4 per cent in 2026. However, some analysts have cautioned that the recent strength in freight rates is temporary, and that any normalisation of Red Sea traffic could put significant downward pressure on rates. Maersk and other major shippers have begun resuming services through the Suez Canal in recent months, The Straits Times reports.