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Hapag-Lloyd to seek cost cuts after net revenue slump

German container shipper HapagLloyd stated on Thursday the worldwide oversupply of container ships and a crisis in the Red Sea will require it to cut costs in 2024, adapting sailings and ports following a bruising 83% fall in net revenue.

Ship operators face extended disruption while Yemen-based Houthi militants are assaulting vessels travelling on one of the world's busiest routes, erasing the gain from greater freight rates with expensive redirections around Africa.

Hapag-Lloyd's problems chime with those of rivals such as Maersk and CMA CGM, worsened by the arrival When they, of additional ships ordered during the pandemic years posted record revenues due to logistics hiccups.

We expect the marketplace environment to continue to be hard given the a great deal of ship shipments this year, stated chief executive Rolf Habben Jansen.

We need to further reduce our per-unit expenses in order to remain lucrative and competitive, moving forward, he stated.

The world's fifth-biggest container liner runs 266 ships and plans to save on the procurement side and adjust services, he included.

In a call with press reporters, Habben Jansen said this might consist of much faster cruisings, modifications to departure and shipment ports, and operational effectiveness.

A cooperation with rival Maersk, beginning February 2025, would likewise assist, he said.

Asked whether changes indicated cuts to cruisings, Habben Jansen said the Red Sea crisis had actually rather implemented path modifications.

Hapag-Lloyd established land passages in January through Saudi Arabia to alleviate the effect on its company from Jebel Ali, Dammam and Juibail to its ocean shuttle bus service out of Jeddah.

The company published a net profit of 3.0 billion euros ($ 3.28. billion) for 2023, down from 17.0 billion a year previously, and. cut its dividend to 9.25 euros per share from 63 euros.

German shipowners' group VDR on Tuesday said the diversions. away from the Suez canal cost operators $1 million per trip.

Worldwide fleet growth is anticipated to be in between 7 and 10% this. year after a rise by 8% already last year, Hapag-Lloyd information. showed.

Profits before interest and taxes (EBIT) in 2024 will. likely be in between minus 1.0 billion to 1.0 billion euros, after. 2.5 billion euros in 2023, Hapag-Lloyd projections.

Its shares, with a small totally free float so vulnerable to bigger. swings, were down 3.7% at 129.4 euros at 1425 GMT.

(source: Reuters)