China-based Cosco Shipping Ports expects ‘limited’ impact from Iran conflict

Cosco Shipping Ports, a unit of state-owned giant Cosco Shipping, reported modest earnings growth for 2025, as management expects to expand in emerging markets amid rising geopolitical risks to global trade. Net profit rose 1.1 per cent to US$312.1 million, and revenue increased 11 per cent to US$1.67 billion, according to its 2025 results. Total container throughput climbed 6.2 per cent to 153 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs). The company’s overseas terminals saw strong growth, with throughput rising 11.5 per cent, compared with a 4.6 per cent increase in mainland China, which accounted for about 75 per cent of total volume. Executives of the Hong Kong-listed port operator said it would “closely monitor” developments in the Middle East and assess potential disruptions, adding it would take necessary measures to ensure stable operations. “Recently, military conflicts involving the US, Israel and Iran have affected the Gulf region, including the Strait of Hormuz,” said Zhu Tao, the company’s chairman. “In the short term, the Middle East situation will have some impact on the throughput of our Abu Dhabi terminal, but the overall impact on the group’s network and total business volume is expected to be limited.” The company had contingency plans and would closely monitor developments while exploring alternative routes, including ports in the Gulf of Oman, to help customers manage trade flows, he added. The remarks came as the US-Iran conflict intensified concerns over the security of key maritime chokepoints including the Strait of Hormuz, a vital artery for global energy and container trade. Any disruption could ripple through shipping schedules, freight rates and port throughput, particularly for operators with exposure to Europe-Middle East-Asia routes. Geopolitical tensions had intensified since last year, reshaping trade flows and industry dynamics, the company said, adding that it would respond to external volatility by strengthening its global network and operational resilience, with a focus on growth opportunities in emerging markets such as Southeast Asia, Latin America and Africa. Cosco Shipping Ports operates terminals across China, Europe, the Mediterranean, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, South America and Africa. The company said it operated and managed 387 berths at 40 ports worldwide as of December, of which 238 were for containers. The company declined to comment on issues related to Panama at the briefing. Earlier, Panama’s government urged state-owned Cosco Shipping to reconsider its decision to suspend operations at the Port of Balboa, a key terminal at the entrance to the Panama Canal.