August 14th, 2025 – Two of Taiwan’s “big three” container lines—Yang Ming Marine Transport and Wan Hai Lines—reported sharp second-quarter profit declines as weaker cargo volumes and trade uncertainty weighed on results.
Yang Ming said its earnings were also reduced by a tax on undistributed profits, estimated by analysts at around $100 million based on prior pre-tax figures. The carrier noted wide performance differences across trade lanes, with the trans-Pacific hit by uncertainty over U.S. tariffs despite the usual summer peak. In contrast, Asia–Europe and Asia–Mediterranean trades remain strong, intra-Asia demand is stable, while Asia–Australia and Asia–Latin America require close monitoring for volatility.
The company added that vessel diversions via the Cape of Good Hope are helping absorb excess capacity, which is projected to rise 6% this year. Drewry forecasts global container demand to grow just 2% in 2025, while Alphaliner projects 2.7%. Drewry also expects softer conditions in the second half following front-loaded shipments earlier in the year.
Yang Ming, Taiwan’s second-largest carrier after Evergreen and the world’s 10th largest, posted a net profit of $31 million, down from $259 million in Q1 and $436 million a year earlier. Revenue fell 27% year over year to $1.2 billion and 16% from Q1’s $1.4 billion.
Wan Hai Lines, focused on intra-Asia trades, reported Q2 net profit of $41 million, down from $286 million in Q1 and $142 million a year earlier, according to a Taiwan stock exchange filing. Revenue held steady quarter over quarter at $1.2 billion but rose 9% from $1.1 billion a year earlier.
Evergreen Marine is scheduled to release its interim results Wednesday.
