Posted on August 17, 2026
Yang Ming Marine Transport Corporation released its financial results for the first half of 2026 on August 12. Overall, the company’s performance improved in the second quarter compared with the first quarter.
During the first half of 2026, Yang Ming generated consolidated revenue of NT$84.58 billion (approximately US$2.68 billion), representing a year-on-year increase of 0.5%. Gross profit was NT$10.88 billion (approximately US$340 million), down 30.2% year on year, while operating profit fell 42.2% to NT$6.43 billion (approximately US$200 million).
Pre-tax net profit totaled NT$8.88 billion (approximately US$280 million), down 34.9% year on year. Net profit reached NT$7.32 billion (approximately US$230 million), down 17.7%, while net profit attributable to the parent company was NT$7.17 billion (approximately US$230 million), down 18.2%. Earnings per share stood at NT$2.05.
Yang Ming said that in the second quarter, changes in tariff policies and rising energy costs boosted import booking demand in Europe and the United States. The peak season arrived earlier than usual, supporting higher freight rates.
As a result, Yang Ming’s consolidated revenue for the second quarter reached NT$45.92 billion (approximately US$1.45 billion), while net profit attributable to the parent company totaled NT$5.73 billion (approximately US$180 million). Earnings per share were NT$1.64, with overall performance improving significantly from the first quarter.
According to the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) latest World Economic Outlook released in July, global GDP growth for 2026 is projected at 3.0%, slightly revised down from the 3.1% forecast in April, while the 2027 forecast was raised modestly from 3.2% to 3.4%.
Yang Ming noted that the Middle East conflict, trade fragmentation and revised expectations surrounding the artificial intelligence (AI) market will continue to create uncertainty for the global economic outlook.
On the supply side, Alphaliner and Drewry estimated in their July reports that global container shipping capacity will grow by 4.2% and 4.4%, respectively, in 2026. Meanwhile, amid higher fuel and freight costs, container shipping demand growth is projected at only 2.5% and 2.1%, respectively.
Looking ahead to the third quarter, Yang Ming expects traditional peak-season demand on the Europe and U.S. trade lanes to provide continued support for the market. However, congestion at major ports in Shanghai and Europe was relatively severe during the second quarter due to weather conditions, short-term surges in cargo volumes and terminal bottlenecks. Whether these conditions will improve in the third quarter remains to be seen.
Yang Ming said geopolitical developments and tariff policies will continue to influence cargo flows and capacity deployment. The company will closely monitor cargo demand and flexibly adjust fleet and voyage deployment plans, while strengthening port contingency measures and cost controls to improve schedule reliability and overall operational competitiveness.
According to the latest data from Alphaliner, Yang Ming ranks ninth among the world’s top 100 liner operators by fleet capacity. The company currently operates 99 vessels, including 63 owned vessels and 36 chartered-in vessels, with total capacity of approximately 757,000 TEU.
In addition, Yang Ming has 21 newbuildings on order, with a combined capacity of approximately 268,000 TEU.
