A chink of light for carriers

摘要

Recently-published ocean carrier financial results confirm that the last quarter of 2011 was the worst of a very bad year. Few were left with enough money to pay off all the interest due on loans. AP Moller-Maersk's liner division ( Maersk Line, Safmarine, MCL and Seago Line) was among the worst. Its overall revenue for the period fell by 3.4% compared with the third quarter, down to USD6.366 million and the operating result (EBIT) deteriorated from a loss of USD257 million to an even bigger deficit of USD628 million, producing a negative return on sales (RoS) of 9.9%.