Maersk has put the collapse of the shipping container market first on the list of risks the industry will face in 2023.
In its published annual report, the company predicts that in the face of the flagging demand the global container market may tighten by 2.5% this year. Combined with the expected entry into service of significant new tonnage, this could lead to freight rates falling below the breakeven point on the long run.
Geopolitical tension and conflict escalation are second on the list of risks. Maersk notes that increased tension could have a severe adverse effect on the development of the logistics industry, causing disruptions in supply chains and infrastructure facilities, resulting in local demand collapses and, ultimately, leading to increased fragmentation of supply chains.
Maersk forecasts EBIT for 2023 in the range of $2 billion to $5 billion, which is 6-15 times less compared to almost 31 billion US dollars last year.