COSCO Shipping Specialized Carriers expects first-half net profit to rise by as much as 70%, as stronger specialised shipping markets begin to amplify the impact of its rapid fleet expansion.
The company forecasts attributable net profit of RMB 1.279 billion to RMB 1.402 billion for the first six months of 2026, compared with RMB 825 million a year earlier.
The strongest momentum appears to have emerged in the second quarter. Based on the company’s first-quarter results, second-quarter attributable profit is estimated at RMB 873 million to RMB 996 million, up roughly 82% to 108% year on year.
Several forces are converging:
• tighter vessel availability and higher freight rates
• continued growth in Chinese advanced manufacturing exports
• rising demand for car carriers, heavy-lift ships and multipurpose vessels
• a much larger and younger fleet
• expanding liner services, core ports and overseas logistics nodes
COSCO Shipping Specialized Carriers added 50 vessels in 2025 and a further seven in the first quarter of 2026. Its owned and operating-leased fleet had reached 204 vessels and 9.45 million dwt by the end of March.
The key question now is whether this is simply a strong market quarter or the start of a structurally higher earnings base.
The formal interim report will provide the next clues, particularly on fleet utilisation, segment margins, cargo mix and the contribution from car carriers and new-generation multipurpose vessels.
READ MORE
Finance
China Haitong Development Expects First-Half Profit to Surge More Than Fivefold
Finance
COSCO SHIPPING Holdings Plans Up to RMB 1.54bn A-Share Buyback and Cancellation
Finance
A.P. Moller Holding is buying the 70-vessel ship leasing platform from KKR, bringing more than $5 billion of long-term contracted cash flows into the A.P. Moller maritime portfolio
Finance
Evergreen Marine Faces Insider Trading Investigation in Taiwan
Finance
Fearnley Expands Again: Turning Shipping Advantages into Asset Management Capabilities
Finance
