CMA CGM's second quarter profit rises to $770 million as higher freight rates more than offset war driven costs

French shipping and logistics group CMA CGM, the world's third largest container carrier, published its second quarter 2026 results on Tuesday, 28 July 2026 (6 Mordad 1405). Quarterly revenue rose 19.2 percent year on year to $15.7 billion, EBITDA climbed 31 percent to $3.0 billion and the EBITDA margin reached 19.0 percent. Net income attributable to the group rose to $770 million from $520 million a year earlier.

Shipping was the primary earnings driver: the company carried 6.33 million TEUs, or twenty-foot equivalent units, during the quarter, a 6 percent increase year on year, while shipping revenue jumped 22 percent to $10.0 billion. EBITDA for the shipping business surged 42.4 percent to $2.26 billion with margins improving to 22.7 percent. Logistics subsidiary CEVA Logistics generated $5.0 billion in quarterly revenue, up 8.5 percent, although its EBITDA fell 15.4 percent, and the "Other Activities" segment covering terminals and air cargo grew 47.6 percent to $1.48 billion.

The company acknowledged that the conflict in West Asia raised operating costs through higher insurance premiums, vessel immobilisations and reduced cargo volumes on services calling at the region, but said those headwinds were more than offset by higher freight rates and the flexibility of its global network, and that it continues to deploy alternative multimodal corridors to serve Persian Gulf countries. Chairman and CEO Rodolphe Saadé said the group delivered solid results "against a backdrop of continued geopolitical instability." On the same day, CMA CGM and infrastructure investment firm Stonepeak completed the formation of United Ports LLC, a joint venture holding nine major container terminals across five countries, in which Stonepeak acquired a 25 percent stake through a $2.4 billion investment while CMA CGM retained operational control.