Box shipping is doing well despite Covid-19, but for how long?

A RECURRING theme in this column over the years has been how container shipping is incapable of making sustainable profits.

For many reasons this has been a strange year not least because, counter intuitively, the container lines have been doing rather well despite the disruption of Covid-19.

Or, as freight rate benchmarking and market intelligence specialist Xeneta comments: "It's enough to have industry observers scratching their heads in wonder. In the face of continued economic uncertainty, a delicate geopolitical situation, and a crippling global pandemic - all with obvious widespread international trade implications - container shipping companies are seemingly managing an impossible balancing act."