“As expected”, the third quarter was positive for Wallenius Wilhelmsen. However, the unclear situation about port charges in the USA, which are hitting the RoRo segment hard, are a cause for concern.
The shipping company Wallenius Wilhelmsen, which specializes in car carriers, continued on its course in the third quarter of 2025. Total revenue amounted to USD 1.331 billion and the adjusted EBITDA result was USD 471 million. The figures are therefore on a par with the previous quarter.
“The business volume and financial position remained robust in the third quarter,” said Lasse Kristoffersen, President and CEO of Wallenius Wilhelmsen.
Net profit amounted to $280 million in the third quarter, compared to $403 million in the second quarter. However, the sale of the MIRRAT terminal in Melbourne to Australian Amalgamated Terminals for $135 million must be taken into account for the period. In the third quarter, Wallenius also sold a ship for $16 million. Excluding these sales, net profits for the quarters were $263 million (Q3) and $259 million (Q2), according to the shipping company.
“We continued to win new business in all segments, which puts us in a good position for future earnings,” said Kristoffersen, looking ahead to the coming months. The unclear situation regarding US port fees is a cause for concern. The RoRo segment was hit particularly hard by the measures taken by the US Trade Representative (USTR). Within a short period of time, the fees have more than tripled: from $14 to $46 per net ton. Furthermore, not only Chinese but all RoRo freighters worldwide are affected (with the exception of a single US carrier, the “Jean Anne”).
Following talks between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, the port fees have been postponed for a year for the time being. According to media reports, it has not yet been sufficiently clarified whether this will also apply to the RoRo industry. The same applies to the question of whether fees that have been collected since October 14 will be repaid to the companies.
Wallenius CEO Kristoffersen stated in the quarterly report that the company is working “intensively” to mitigate the impact for both customers and the shipping company itself. “Demand for our services should remain strong in the fourth quarter,” he said. “However, due to the US port charges, we expect a weaker financial result than in the third quarter.” At the time of the quarterly report, the situation regarding port charges had not been sufficiently clarified, according to the shipping company.
