COSCO Shipping Holdings achieved a 128% quarter-on-quarter growth in net profit attributable to shareholders in Q3 2026.

Recently, COSCO Shipping Holdings Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as COSCO SHIPPING Holdings) released its third-quarter report for 2026.

In the first three quarters of 2026, the container shipping market faced multiple challenges, including geopolitical risks, port congestion in multiple regions, and significant fluctuations in fuel prices. However, global trade demand for goods maintained overall resilience amidst fluctuations. Against this backdrop, COSCO SHIPPING Holdings adhered to a customer-oriented approach, dynamically optimized the global route network layout and capacity allocation, and deepened port-shipping collaboration and full-chain smart green services.

Strengthened Lean Cost Management, Operating Quality and Efficiency Further Improved

Profitability surged, showcasing resilience. In the third quarter, the company achieved operating revenue of RMB 75.692 billion, up 29.39% year-on-year; achieved EBIT of RMB 23.185 billion, up 69.61% year-on-year; realized net profit of RMB 19.243 billion, up 81.91% year-on-year; and net profit attributable to shareholders of listed companies reached RMB 17.230 billion, up 80.73% year-on-year, a 128.45% increase compared to the second quarter. For the first three quarters, the company achieved a net profit attributable to shareholders of listed companies of RMB 30.649 billion, up 13.22% year-on-year.

Main business volumes and revenue both grew steadily. In the third quarter, container shipping business handled a cargo volume of 7.2115 million TEUs, up 4.46% year-on-year; achieved revenue of RMB 73.295 billion, up 30.35% year-on-year. Subsidiary terminals handled a throughput of 8.7642 million TEUs, up 2.38% year-on-year; achieved revenue of RMB 3.312 billion, up 7.44% year-on-year. In the first three quarters, container shipping business handled cargo volume of 21.491 million TEUs, up 6.47% year-on-year; subsidiary terminals handled throughput of 25.6578 million TEUs, up 2.46% year-on-year.

Financial situation remained robust. In the first three quarters, net cash inflow from operating activities was RMB 47.909 billion, up 19.83% year-on-year. As of September 30, 2026, the company's asset-liability ratio was 41.36%.

Since 2026, COSCO SHIPPING Holdings has continued to propel the integrated development of "container shipping + terminals + related logistics," consolidating the foundation of its shipping core business, enhancing full-chain service capabilities, accelerating smart green transformation, and striving to establish a global supply chain service network that is more extensive, smooth, resilient, and better equipped to cope with risks.

COSCO SHIPPING Holdings adheres to the global customer demand-oriented strategy with the integrated layout of "hub + channel + network," continuously strengthening the accessibility and resilience of global routes and logistics channels. In the third quarter, the company dynamically optimized capacity allocation for West America and Asia-Europe routes, enhanced port-shipping synergy and intermodal connections. Cargo volumes on trans-Pacific and Asia-Europe routes grew 12.98% and 14.64% year-on-year respectively, while route revenue increased 61.20% and 25.74% year-on-year respectively. Simultaneously, the company expanded its reach into emerging markets and regional markets such as Latin America, Africa, and Southeast Asia, launching new routes like Far East–South America East ESA3 and China–Cambodia–Thailand CCT4, while upgrading existing routes like Far East–South Africa ZAX3 and Australia East A3X. In September, leveraging the newly opened Pinglu Canal, the company introduced the "train + Pinglu Canal + liner" multimodal transport product, providing the hinterland markets with more efficient and convenient global channels and full-chain service solutions. For the third quarter, cargo volumes of intra-Asia routes (including Australia) and Latin America/Africa international routes grew 1.85% and 3.09% year-on-year, with route revenue increasing 18.13% and 18.73% year-on-year.

Deepening Full-Chain Integration Services to Efficiently Respond to Customer Needs

COSCO SHIPPING Holdings focused on scaling the full-chain business, deepened the construction of "full-chain products, full-chain sales, full-chain operation management, full-chain customer service, and full-chain revenue," promoting deep integration of resources from shipping, terminals, and logistics. In the third quarter, COSCO SHIPPING Holdings successfully opened multiple Central Asia international railway routes, providing customers with new transcontinental logistics channels across Asia and Europe; the first national "vertical coastline, direct-to-terminal" sea-rail intermodal line was inaugurated at the Xiamen Yuanhai Terminal, achieving seamless sea-rail connectivity; the "China–Peru–Brazil" sea-air intermodal new corridor officially launched, reducing transportation time by about 10 days compared to pure sea transport.

With the synergized promotion of full-chain resource integration and channel expansion, the company leveraged its integrated supply chain and cross-regional collaboration advantages, tailoring custom outbound logistics solutions to meet the needs of industry customers in photovoltaic, lithium battery, new energy vehicle, and cross-border e-commerce sectors. These actions enhanced end-to-end delivery stability and flexibility in customer supply chain management. In the first three quarters, the container shipping business sector achieved supply chain revenue aside from maritime transport of RMB 37.145 billion, up 12.92% year-on-year.

Enhancing Digital Intelligence and Green Empowerment to Foster Sustainable Development Advantages

COSCO SHIPPING Holdings accelerated the application of artificial intelligence technology across all business scenarios with the proactive deployment by its FDE engineer team, promoting operational model innovations to build an industry-leading digital intelligence innovation ecosystem. During the third quarter, the smart inquiry Agent and smart customer service systems were put into routine use, the smart supply chain manager and major order client systems were continuously iterated, and a digitized management system for multimodal sea-land-rail transport took shape, further optimizing business processes and improving operational efficiency and customer experience.

In terms of green transformation, the company steadily advanced the scaling and greening of its fleet through leasing and construction. By the end of September, the company owned 82 new energy container ships with a capacity close to 1.5 million TEUs, including 9 methanol dual-fuel-powered container ships in operation. Partnering with stakeholders across the industrial chain, the company expanded the scale of methanol fuel bunkering, setting a new company record of 7,500 tons of methanol bunkered in a single operation with the "COSCO Twin Stars" vessel. Recently, subsidiaries under its banner received numerous industry honors, including "Blue Whale and Blue Sky Protection" and "Environmental Achievement Award," and deeply participated in green shipping corridor constructions such as "Shanghai–Melbourne" and "Yangpu Port–Abu Dhabi Port," driving green low-carbon upgrades across the port-shipping chain and further boosting sustainable development momentum.

Looking ahead, global container shipping market demand is expected to maintain some resilience, while South-South trade and intra-regional trade will continue serving as key drivers of market growth. However, the intertwining of factors like ongoing geopolitical conflicts, fluctuating international trade environments, and supply chain disruptions poses greater challenges to global supply chain stability, with the trajectory of the Middle East situation set to become a critical variable impacting the supply and demand dynamic of the future shipping market.

Facing opportunities and challenges, COSCO SHIPPING Holdings will adhere to its vision of "building a world-class container shipping-centered smart supply chain enterprise with high quality," remain committed to being customer-driven, and steadfastly pursue a development direction encompassing globalization, scaling, full-chain integration, digital intelligence, green empowerment, and integration. Keeping pace with global trade trends and market demand changes, the company will proactively seize new opportunities arising from technological innovations such as artificial intelligence, continuously enhancing the stability and competitiveness of global supply chain services, and striving to offer customers superior and more resilient full-chain logistics services, thereby creating lasting value for shareholders.