Maersk Rethinks China Strategy as Shipping Rates Pitch Wildly
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A months-long cycle of plunging and soaring container shipping rates on China-U.S. routes has prompted shipping giant A.P. Moller–Maersk A/S to adjust its China operations, including better integrating logistics and expanding its air cargo network.
Denmark-headquartered Maersk, which ships about 7 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of Chinese exports annually, saw its volume on China-U.S. routes fall by 30% to 40% by the end of April compared with levels prior to the Trump administration’s “reciprocal tariffs,” said Silvia Ding, managing director of Maersk Greater China.
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- Maersk's China-U.S. route volumes fell 30-40% by late April, prompting strategic adjustments.
- Maersk is integrating logistics and expanding its air cargo network to cope with market volatility.
- The company's "Gemini Cooperation" network maintains a 90% on-time rate for its services.
- A.P. Moller–Maersk A/S
- A.P. Moller–Maersk A/S, a Danish shipping company, is adjusting its China operations due to fluctuating shipping rates on China-U.S. routes. They ship about 7 million TEUs of Chinese exports annually, but saw a 30-40% drop in volume on China-U.S. routes by the end of April due to tariffs. Maersk is integrating logistics, expanding air cargo, and using a hub-and-spoke model to ensure stability and efficiency.
- Hapag-Lloyd AG
- Hapag-Lloyd AG is a German shipping giant that has partnered with Maersk in the "Gemini Cooperation" network. This collaboration utilizes a hub-and-spoke shipping model, where vessels call at "hub" ports for container transfer to other ships for final delivery. This strategy has helped maintain a 90% on-time rate for services, even amidst disruptions.
- 2024：
- Greater China contributed more than 30% of Maersk's global air freight growth.
- February 2025：
- Maersk launched the 'Gemini Cooperation' network with Hapag-Lloyd AG.
- By the end of April 2025：
- Maersk saw its volume on China-U.S. routes fall by 30% to 40% compared with pre-Trump trade war levels.
- Through the first three months of 2025：
- The Shanghai Containerized Freight Index sank more than 50%.
- May 2025：
- The Shanghai Containerized Freight Index surged following a U.S.-China tariff truce, with China-U.S. West Coast freight rates jumping 142% and East Coast rates rising 92% in five weeks.
- May 2025：
- Maersk launched a China-Latin America air cargo route as part of its broader network.
- May 2025：
- After the U.S. canceled a tax exemption on small parcels, global air cargo rates dropped.
- May 27, 2025：
- Silvia Ding, managing director of Maersk Greater China, gave an interview to Caixin.
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