Maersk has recorded a profit for 2014 of 5.2 bill. $, (+38% compared to[ds_preview] 2013). »Despite challenging market conditions we saw good progress in underlying performance across the group. Maersk Line maintained its lead in the industry and APM Terminals delivered significant improvements«, said group CEO Nils S. Andersen. The result was positively impacted by 2.8 bill. $ gain from the sale of the majority share of Dansk Supermarked Group and other divestment gains of 600mill. $. These were partly offset by the net impairments of 3.0 bill. $ including 1.7 bill. $ on the Brazilian oil assets. Furthermore, Maersk intents to offer its shares in Danske Bank to its shareholders. In liner shipping the profit of 2.3 bill. $ (1.5 bill. $) was higher than expected, due to stronger transport volumes and lower units costs, which resulted of »continued optimisation and lower bunker prices«. These advantages were partly countered by lower freight rates. Maersk Oil recorded a loss of 861mill. $ but with an underlying profit of 1.0 bill. $. The Drilling unit delivered a profit of 478mill. $ (528mill. $ in 2013). APM Terminals enhanced ist result from 770mill. $ to 900mill. $ through volume and margin growth as well as divestment gains in Virginia, but negatively impacted by impairments related to activities in joint ventures. For 2015 an underlying result below 4 bill. $ excluding Danske Bank is expected. APMT is supposed to grow in line with the market. In liner shipping, Maersk aims to improve ist competitiveness through unit costs reductions and implementation of the 2 M Alliance with MSC. As well, Maersk Line wants to grow with the market, in which global demand for seabourne container transportation is expected to increase by 3 – 5%. The share-buyback program will have some effect on the balance in 2015.
